title: Contact lens fitting and training in a child and youth population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the ease with which children and youths without previous soft contact lens (SCL) experience were able to handle, care for, adapt and be fitted with SCLs.
  
  
  METHODS
  179 children aged 8-16 were recruited. Study visits included: screening and training visits, 1-week and 3-month follow-ups. During the training visit, the time taken to demonstrate proficiency in lens insertion and removal and care was recorded. A second training visit was scheduled if necessary.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine children did not complete the screening visit and eight discontinued during the study. Of those eight, seven discontinued during the first week and one before the 3-month visit. Of those recruited, 90.5% (162/179) were successfully fitted and completed the study. A majority of children were dispensed with lenses at the first training visit (94.6%, 162/171). The mean training time for all children was 30 min. There were no statistically significant differences in the number of lenses required to fit or instruction time by age group (p > 0.05) or gender (p > 0.05). Nine participants (5.3%, 9/171) required a second training visit with four still unable to handle lenses (2.3%, 4/171). By the 1-week visit 13.2% (22/167) of participants either lost or tore lenses, no subsequent lost or torn lenses occurred. No serious adverse events occurred during the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children and youths with no previous contact lens experience were easily fitted, able to successfully wear and care for lenses. The results of this study should encourage practitioners to recommend SCLs as a vision correction option.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Contact Lens Research, School of Optometry, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1. Electronic address: lcpaquette@uwaterloo.ca.
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paquette
authors.affiliation: Centre for Contact Lens Research, School of Optometry, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1. Electronic address: debbie.jones@uwaterloo.ca.
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Centre for Contact Lens Research, School of Optometry, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1. Electronic address: megan.sears@uwaterloo.ca.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sears
authors.affiliation: Centre for Contact Lens Research, School of Optometry, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1. Electronic address: krithika.nandakumar@uwaterloo.ca.
authors.forename: Krithika
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nandakumar
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine (Optometry), Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Rd, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3214, Australia. Electronic address: craig.woods@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Woods
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D018639:Contact Lens Solutions; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic; D004209:Disposable Equipment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D018639:Contact Lens Solutions
keywords: Children; Contact lens; Contact lens fitting; Contact lens training; Myopia