Also, glasses are usually not good for use after cataract surgery on one eye only, because the images from the two eyes cannot be properly combined in the brain when one eye focuses in the normal way and the other looks through a very strong spectacle lens. The second way to fill the refractive need of a child who has had cataract surgery is to use contact lenses , which are worn directly on the front of the eye. Contact lenses usually provide both vision and appearance that is very natural. They can be used after cataract surgery on one or both eyes. Children of all ages usually are quite comfortable wearing contact lenses.
Lenses are available that can be worn continuously for about a week at a time.
It is important, though, to remove them regularly for cleaning. With babies and school age children, family members usually learn to handle contact lenses well in a short time. Contact lenses are very safe when properly cared for. Rarely, though, they can cause serious eye infections, especially if care instructions are not followed. Some children wear contact lenses part of the time and glasses part of the time, depending on their particular needs or wants at the moment.