Oisin McVeigh

Night lenses changed my life | Oisin McVeigh

We caught up with 17-year-old Oisin McVeigh, often known as Osh, and his mum, Grainne. Osh, a talented young rugby player based in Scotland, was facing a challenge with his deteriorating eyesight, which was affecting his rugby potential. His mum decided to explore options and stumbled upon night lenses. Here’s what they had to share:

Q: Osh, can you describe what it was like on your first day without anything in your eyes?

A: It felt pretty strange, to be honest. I could see things like shampoo bottles across the room without needing glasses, which was a surreal experience.

Q: How has life changed for you without glasses?

A: Life without glasses has been great. No more worries about them slipping off, getting lost, or breaking. With the ongoing pandemic and mask-wearing, it’s been especially nice not having to deal with glasses along with wearing a mask.

Q: As a rugby player, how has this change affected your game and what do you expect for the future?

A: Playing any sport has become a lot easier. In rugby, I need to be observant and see what’s happening on the pitch. This was challenging when I couldn’t see across the field or recognize the players. Now, being able to see clearly is incredibly useful and will significantly improve my performance. To get better, I needed either lenses or sports glasses, but I wasn’t keen on the hassle of dealing with them, worrying about losing a lens or getting dirt in my lens during a match. Night lenses have been the perfect solution.

Q: How has the transition to night lenses been, especially getting them in and out?

A: It’s been quite manageable. The first few days were a bit irritating, as with anything new, you need to figure them out. But then, it became easy. I initially thought it might be a challenge, but it turned out to be straightforward. Now, I don’t even think twice about it.

Q: What did your friends think? Did they notice when your glasses disappeared?

A: Surprisingly, many of my friends didn’t even notice that my glasses were gone! They find it a bit strange and don’t quite understand it. But there are a few school friends and teammates who are now looking into it.

Q: I hear you’re into rowing. Have night lenses helped with that too?

A: I do coastal rowing, those big skiffs offshore. My eyesight never affected my rowing, but now it’s a joy to see everything around me clearly.

Q: Would you recommend night lenses to other rugby players, sports enthusiasts, and teens your age?

A: Absolutely, I would wholeheartedly recommend these lenses to my friends. They’ve made such a positive difference in my life!

Q: Mum, how did you come across night lenses for Osh?

A: Osh is a talented rugby player, but he wasn’t wearing any glasses or lenses on the pitch, and we couldn’t understand how he could play without proper vision. To enhance his performance, we realized he needed something to improve his eyesight, so we explored various options. Osh wasn’t too keen on wearing lenses specifically for sports, fearing they might fall out or get dirty during the game. Sports glasses weren’t appealing to him either. Randomly, we came across night lenses and thought they sounded unusual, even a bit crazy – a lens that changes your eyesight while you sleep? We did some research, and here we are!

Q: Night lenses can be misunderstood. How did your family and friends react?

A: Well, there’s a funny story there! Osh received his lenses on April 1st. I sent a message to my sisters, who all have poor eyesight, saying, “Check out these lenses, he sleeps in them and wakes up with perfect sight…” They all thought it was an April Fool’s joke and didn’t respond. Now that they know it’s real, they think it’s incredible.

Q: As a parent, why was it important for you to introduce Osh to night lenses?

A: Two things were crucial for me as a parent. Firstly, stabilizing his eyesight. I have a severe prescription of -13, so I know how debilitating it is to have very poor eyesight. When I was young, I was an excellent swimmer, but I gave it up, and I don’t swim anymore. I tried goggles, but they didn’t work for me. I loved water sports like water-skiing but gave them all up. Secondly, it’s about providing choice and opportunity. This has now opened up a world of possibilities for Osh, and that’s fantastic – giving him choices and opportunities. He won’t have to give up on things due to poor vision or because day lenses or glasses hold him back. Hopefully, for his rugby, this will be the best gift we could give him as parents.

[Editor’s note – Osh was polite, articulate, and a lovely lad – so good eyesight isn’t the only great thing you’ve given him, Grainne!]