Children can benefit from colored contact lenses for a variety of reasons. These lenses have an important role in improving the appearance of kids who have ocular disfigurement or asymmetry. Additionally, colored lenses can be prescribed therapeutically to relieve children who suffer from visual discomfort such as diplopia and photosensitivity. Several types of colored contact lenses are available, including tinted translucent and computer-generated.

Tinted translucent lenses have a homogeneous color throughout the tinted portion of the lens. Typically, this lens type is designed to completely overlap the iris, which enhances its natural tone. Colored translucent lenses allow for filtered light transmittance. This is therapeutically useful for children who require a colored filter on one or both eyes to treat visual discomfort or improve visual function. Children who suffer from severe light sensitivity and color deficiency can benefit from tinted translucent lenses.

Achromatopsia is one example in which red-tinted translucent lenses help alleviate visual symptoms in children. Achromatopsia (rod monochromacy) is a congenital color-vision defect that causes severely abnormal or totally absent cone function. Even under normal light conditions, kids with this condition experience extreme glare from abnormal or deficient cones. Light-absorbing red-tinted spectacle glasses ameliorate visual symptoms but cosmetically can leave children self-concious. Instead of spectacles, translucent red-tinted contact lenses offer a more cosmetically acceptable option for treating visual discomfort from achromatopsia (Sheifer et al, 1995; Schornack et al, 2007) (Figure 1).

Computer-generated lenses are available in a variety of preset iris color patterns and diameters, allowing patients to change their eye color. These lenses have good reproducibility and are less expensive compared to a completely custom hand-painted lens. Computer-generated lenses achieve the desired iris appearance by layering several different printed color patterns.

An example where a computer-generated lens was utilized was with a 13-year-old Hispanic female who had a history of microcornea in both eyes. This patient was fitted with frequent disposable honey-colored computer-generated lenses in both eyes to achieve acceptable cosmetic appearance. This patient was thrilled with her cosmetic outcome, since she was very self-conscious about her natural corneal appearance (Figure 2).

Summary

There exists a range of colored contact lenses that serve cosmetic and therapeutic roles in children. Having good knowledge of the available products and their uses enables providers to help children through the process to achieve results that are positively life-altering for patients. Fitting these types of lenses is highly rewarding. CLS

For references, please visit www.clspectrum.com/references and click on document #317.