Pediatric Contact Lenses - Video Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the pediatric contact lens lecture notes to aid study and review.

Pediatric contact lenses

Contact lenses designed for children to correct refractive errors, protect eye health, and support daily activities, offering an alternative or complement to glasses.

Age to start contact lenses

American Academy of Optometry (2004) suggests by age 8 a child can handle CLs, but maturity and responsibility are more important than age alone.

Soft contact lenses (SCLs)

Flexible plastic lenses that allow oxygen to reach the cornea; comfortable for children and suitable for daily or extended wear; more prone to deposits and less precise for high prescriptions.

Rigid Gas Permeable lenses (RGP)

Hard lenses with excellent optics and durability; less likely to harbor bacteria but may require longer adaptation and be less comfortable at first.

Hybrid contact lenses

Lenses with a rigid gas permeable center surrounded by a soft skirt; combine sharp vision with comfort, useful for irregular corneas or keratoconus.

Ortho-K (Orthokeratology)

Rigid lenses worn overnight to reshape the cornea, delivering clear daytime vision and slowing myopia progression.

Multifocal contact lenses

Lenses with multiple power zones to correct distance and near vision, also supporting myopia control in some designs.

Dual-Focus contact lenses

Lenses with a central clear zone and a peripheral power to reduce myopia progression by altering peripheral focus.

Prosthetic contact lenses

Cosmetic lenses that mask eye abnormalities, may aid amblyopia therapy, and reduce photophobia; require careful fitting and ongoing care.

Bandage contact lenses

Soft therapeutic lenses used to protect and heal the cornea after injury or surgery; not intended for long-term vision correction.

Custom fit

A tailored lens design based on the child’s unique eye using professional fitting and tools like corneal topography.

Corneal topography

A diagnostic map of the cornea used to design accurately fitting lenses and correct irregularities.

Toric lenses

Lenses designed to correct astigmatism by aligning with the eye’s meridians; accuracy depends on proper orientation.

Oxygen permeability (Dk/t)

A property of lens material indicating how much oxygen reaches the cornea; critical for corneal health, especially in soft lenses.

Aphakia

Absence of the natural crystalline lens; often corrected with high-plus powered contact lenses to replace focusing power and support binocular vision.

High plus power lenses

Contact lenses with very high positive power used to compensate for the absent lens in aphakia or severe refractive error.

Anisometropia

A large difference in refractive error between the two eyes (>2 diopters), which can cause unequal image size and amblyopia risk.

Aniseikonia

Difference in image size between the two eyes, which can interfere with binocular fusion; better corrected with contact lenses than glasses in many cases.

Irregular astigmatism

Uneven corneal curvature causing distorted vision; best corrected with RGP or scleral lenses.

Scleral lenses

Large-diameter rigid lenses that vault over the cornea and rest on the sclera; filled with fluid to create a smooth optical surface, great for severe irregularities.

Myopia-control contact lenses

Lenses designed to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children, including Ortho-K, dual-focus soft CLs, and multifocal soft CLs.

Photophobia

Extreme light sensitivity; tinted or prosthetic lenses can reduce glare and improve comfort in conditions like aniridia, coloboma, albinism, and achromatopsia.

Nystagmus

Involuntary, rhythmic eye movements; soft CLs can help stabilize optics and prosthetic/tinted CLs may aid cosmesis and light control.

Amblyopia

Developmental vision disorder where one eye has reduced vision; commonly treated with occlusion or prosthetic/patching strategies to encourage use of the weaker eye.

Occlusion (prosthetic) contact lenses

Opaque or tinted lenses worn on the better-seeing eye to force the brain to use the weaker eye, improving binocular vision and compliance.

Drug-delivery contact lenses

Lenses engineered to store and release medications directly to the eye for sustained therapeutic effect and improved adherence.

Atropine in contact lenses

Atropine-soaked lenses used for myopia control with a low-dose, sustained release to reduce the need for frequent drops.

Antibiotics in contact lenses

Antibiotic-soaked lenses for treating corneal infections in children, maintaining high drug concentration at the cornea.

Dexamethasone in contact lenses

Corticosteroid-soaked lenses used post-surgery or for inflammation to reduce ocular inflammation with fewer daily drops.

Infection risk with pediatric CLs

Potential complication associated with contact lens wear in children; mitigated by proper hygiene, supervision, and timely follow-up.

Hygiene foundations

Core practices for safe wear: handwashing, using FDA-approved solutions, sterile handling, and routine lens care.

Insertion and removal

Techniques for safely putting in and taking out contact lenses without injuring the eye.

Cleaning and disinfection

Regularly cleaning and disinfecting lenses with approved solutions to prevent deposits and infections.

Storage and case care

Proper storage of lenses and case upkeep, including replacing the case every 3 months and air-drying after use.

Re-centering

Small adjustments to reposition a lens on the eye to restore proper alignment and vision.

Parental role

Parents act as primary caregivers, overseeing daily lens care, fitting adherence, and recognizing problems needing professional help.

Adherence to regimen

Strictly following wearing schedules, hygiene protocols, and follow-up visits to prevent complications.

Regular exams and monitoring

Scheduled eye care visits to detect issues early and adjust lenses or treatment as the child grows.

When to contact ECP

Seek professional guidance for persistent itching, burning, redness, blurred vision, or significant lens-related problems.

Troubleshooting: Lost or damaged lens

If a lens is lost or broken, do not reinsert; search the area and dispose of damaged lenses safely.

Troubleshooting: Discomfort and redness

If eye is itchy, burning, or red, remove lenses immediately and use prescribed lubricant drops if advised; contact ECP if symptoms persist.