Marc & Steven

In this section:

• The live chat we had with the family is a must-see. If you’re thinking about using night lenses for your kids under 10, this is essential viewing. As you’ll notice from the interview, there were a few initial hiccups with Steven, the 5-year-old, which they managed to sort out with some guidance from their Optometrist, but after that, smooth sailing. As for Marc, who was 7 at the time, he had no problems right from the get-go.
• We’ll also hear from John and Marie, the parents, about their perspective.
• Marc’s thoughts, a whole decade later, on night lenses, from when he was a kid to now, as an active teenager.

NIGHT LENSES & ME | MARC, WHO STARTED WEARING THEM AGED 7

When I was around seven years old, I got prescribed glasses, and I’d wear them in class to see the whiteboard. It quickly became clear that I needed to wear glasses all the time to see things properly.

Wearing glasses made me feel pretty self-conscious because I was the only kid in my class who had to wear them. My parents talked to my eye doctor about getting contact lenses, but he said I was too young and needed to wait until I was at least twelve. So, we found another eye doctor who did prescribe soft contact lenses. However, I had a tough time putting them in and taking them out. Luckily, my grandma had read about night lenses in the newspaper and told my dad. He talked to his eye doctor, Scott Brown, who was much more aware of the benefits of night lenses, especially for kids.

Night lenses completely changed my life. I went through school without the hassle and stigma of wearing glasses. I even got involved in sports, playing football and earning a black belt in taekwondo at 16. I learned to swim, enjoyed skiing and snowboarding in my teens, and could see everything clearly. I’m also into music, playing acoustic, electric, and bass guitars. I hit the gym and take long walks with our dog. I’m finishing up my secondary school and heading to Strathclyde University to study Law and Economics. I plan to keep wearing night lenses as long as I can.

Now, my brother Steven is fifteen, and he barely remembers wearing glasses. He was only five when Scott prescribed him night lenses. Our parents used to help him put them in and take them out for the first year or so, which was quite a challenge. But with Scott’s guidance and a bit of patience, Steven eventually learned to do it himself. It became part of his nightly routine. Steven has been playing football from a young age and has excelled in school and club teams, winning many awards. He knows that wearing glasses would have made things much harder. He also enjoys the gym, running, playing the drums, and having online FIFA matches with friends.

Would I recommend night lenses to other kids and teens? Absolutely!

NIGHT LENSES & US | MARC AND STEVEN’S PARENTS, JOHN AND MARIE

Why did you choose night lenses for Marc and Steven instead of glasses or daytime contact lenses?

We thought night lenses could offer our boys a more normal childhood without the hassles of glasses or regular daytime contacts. I (Dad) remember how tough it was to wear glasses as a kid, especially during sports and rough play. Kids can be pretty mean when it comes to teasing, and we didn’t want our boys to have those “uncool” glasses memories – even though that’s a minor point.

More importantly, I (Dad) had my own struggles with regular contact lenses that I’d worn since I was 14. I experienced discomfort in windy weather and dryness, limiting how long I could wear them. Night lenses offered the chance for our boys to wear lenses at a younger age than regular ones since we, as parents, could put them in and take them out for them. This also reduced the risk of losing them since they’d stay at home except for family trips. We could also better control hygiene.

Now, swimming doesn’t carry the fear of losing lenses. Both boys used prescription swimming goggles, but those weren’t suitable for water slides and weren’t allowed during diving lessons. Even in sports like golf, it’s easier with lenses than glasses, especially in rainy conditions. But regular lenses have their problems too, with wind, dust, and hay fever causing issues. And both our boys play golf.

Did you try glasses or standard contact lenses before night lenses?

Yes, the first optometrist prescribed glasses for both boys. We were determined to see if regular daytime contact lenses could work for them from an early age. But the first optometrist seemed unwilling to consider contacts for kids under 12. He was dismissive, and his staff echoed his views, saying it was a matter of waiting for their eyes to settle down. So, we did our own research online and found professional opinions suggesting that younger kids could wear lenses, and they might be better than glasses. At that time, we didn’t even know about night lenses. We took our older son, Marc, to another local optometrist listed on a site that said he’d prescribe contacts to kids. Marc got soft contact lenses on a trial basis, but he struggled to handle them, and that second optometrist didn’t work out.

Then, our grandma found a newspaper article about night lenses, which was our first introduction to them. The article mentioned that kids might be able to wear these new lenses and even suggested they could slow down eyesight deterioration. My twin brother and I both experienced increasing nearsightedness since we started wearing glasses at age four, so this caught our attention. I (Dad) decided to consult my own optometrist, who was aware of night lenses and explained their benefits. I was a lapsed contact lens wearer and had mostly been using glasses for around 18 months. The optometrist’s comprehensive explanation convinced me, and I decided to pursue night lenses for Marc. Luckily, Marc was a suitable candidate and has benefited ever since.

In the months leading up to wearing night lenses, Marc should have been wearing glasses all the time due to his vision, but he only wore them in class and for distance vision, like at the movies. At home, he started sitting closer to the TV and even on the floor to see it better. He also began wearing glasses to read music while playing his guitar. As his prescription was less strong, Steven only wore glasses in the classroom and at the cinema, although he said he needed them for the playground and various play activities.

Did you need to encourage Marc and Steven to wear contact lenses? If so, how did you do it? If not, why do you think they were eager to wear them instead of glasses?

Marc and Steven were both eager to try night lenses.

Marc had tried soft contact lenses and was disappointed that he couldn’t handle them himself. During the few days of the trial, he experienced the benefits of clear vision during sports classes like football and taekwondo. Steven was also keen because Marc had stopped wearing glasses, and he saw how much better Marc’s life was without them. Initially, we could help Steven insert and remove his lenses, although it was challenging. However, at some point, his resistance grew, and we couldn’t continue with the lenses. It was clear that he desperately wanted the benefits but was too afraid to open his eyes wide enough.

How easy was the fitting process of the night lenses?

Marc adapted quickly and could insert and remove the lenses with ease after a short time. We had to remind him about hygiene, and occasional discomfort was likely due to soap residue.

For Steven, it was more challenging because he was only five and relied on us to put in and remove the lenses. Please refer to the previous answer for the severe difficulties we encountered. Surprisingly, his resistance didn’t start immediately but took hold after about two weeks of relative success. The days before his optometrist appointment were extremely stressful. We even tried inserting the lenses while he was asleep, which worked a couple of times but then made him hypersensitive to any approach. There were many late-night struggles. The optometrist advised a break of at least a week, cautioning that if Steven’s fear persisted, we might have to wait another six months before trying again.

How quickly and easily did Marc and Steven adapt to night lenses?

Marc adapted very quickly and could handle the lenses on his own almost from day one. For Steven, it was much harder, as he was only six, and we had to insert and remove the lenses for him initially.

What difficulties did you encounter?

As mentioned earlier, we had severe difficulty inserting and removing the lenses for Steven, and his resistance grew progressively stronger, to the point that we couldn’t continue. We took the optometrist’s advice to have a week-long break from the lenses and encouraged Steven to touch the white part of his eye and let others touch his eye. We practiced the technique for opening his eye without blinking, which had been explained by the optometrist, and I (Mum) allowed Steven to practice on me. Steven relaxed a lot and was willing to try again. During the school holidays, we started the process, and I assured him that there was no pressure to get the lenses in. We worked at his pace, and I let him practice with the lenses. Within a week, Steven allowed me to put them in for him overnight, and I removed them with a suction tool in the morning. He was delighted. Now, on day 57, Steven has gained confidence and started taking them out by himself in the morning, with me holding his eye for him.

What was easier than you expected or easier compared to glasses or standard contact lenses?

Marc found it much easier to handle night lenses compared to soft contact lenses, which he couldn’t master in a short time frame. Steven’s experience was tougher and took time to build trust, as mentioned earlier.

Did you notice any behavior changes as Marc and Steven’s vision improved?

Marc is noticeably more confident in sports activities now. Improved vision made a significant difference in his ability to enjoy football. He used to be a reluctant participant, but now he’s having a blast.

Steven also mentioned how much better he can see the ball in football and is thrilled to play at his best. He has talent in golf and football, and night lenses are giving him a level playing field with his peers.

Both boys commented on being able to see things they couldn’t see before, like reading road signs, leaves on trees, birds in the sky, bus numbers, and their friends in the playground.

Now that Marc and Steven are successfully fitted, what advantages do you think night lenses have over standard daytime lenses?

The process is now part of their daily bedtime and morning routines, without any problems or time-consuming hassles. There’s no worry about losing lenses at school or outside the home. We don’t have to double-check if we have the boys’ glasses before leaving for cinema, school, guitar lessons, etc. There are no issues with removing and inserting lenses at inconvenient times and places, like getting grit in the eye. We don’t need to carry glasses as backups. With standard lenses, they’d still need to remove them for swimming and wear prescription goggles.

Night lenses may reduce the progression of Marc and Steven’s nearsightedness. How important was this factor when you chose night lenses over glasses or standard daytime lenses?

We saw the potential reduction in nearsightedness as a bonus. The other benefits of night lenses had already convinced us that they were the best solution for our boys at that stage of their lives.

Would you still choose night lenses as the preferred optical correction if they didn’t have the potential to reduce nearsightedness?

Yes, we would.

If you were suitable candidates, would you consider night lenses for yourselves?

Yes, we would.

Would you recommend night lenses to other people or families?

Absolutely, without a doubt, and we’ve already done so. Marc and Steven’s 12-year-old cousin, Elizabeth, has been wearing night lenses for several months and said they’ve made her life better. In fact, Marc himself told Elizabeth about his fantastic new lenses and how she might not need glasses anymore. At this important stage in a young girl’s life, the boost to her self-esteem and confidence from not wearing glasses is significant. We’ve also shared our experience with many friends and colleagues, most of whom are amazed. No one we spoke to had heard of night lenses, let alone their suitability for young children and their potential to slow nearsightedness.

Is there anything else you, Marc, or Steven would like to add about night lenses?

We couldn’t be happier with how night lenses have transformed our boys’ lives. It’s truly a dream come true. We’re incredibly grateful to our optometrist for his professionalism, expertise, and patience.