Benjamin Griffiths
Night lenses changed my life | Benjamin Griffiths
Let’s chat with 16-year-old Benjamin Griffiths and his mom Carolyn. Benjamin, who lives in Northern Ireland, is really into tech and even has four websites under his belt. He’s also a keen surfer. Now, Benjamin has a condition where his eyesight isn’t that great, and it started getting worse when he was just 8. Every year, it dropped by -1.00D, and by the time he turned 13, he was at -3.75D and -4.00D. At 14, he started using night lenses. Without his glasses, his vision was really bad, and it was messing with his sports and his confidence. But those night lenses changed everything. He used to surf by just feeling the waves; now, he surfs with no worries and is loving life.
Q: Benjamin, what was it like on the first day without anything in your eyes?
A: It was kinda weird, to be honest. I looked out the window, and it was like a whole new world! On the way to school, I could read those car number plates, which was pretty darn cool.
Q: You’ve been using night lenses for a while now. How’s life without glasses? Would you ever go back to them?
A: No way I’d go back to glasses, not in a million years. The night lenses have just become part of my routine. I go to sleep, they do their thing, and I don’t even think about it. The idea of wearing glasses during the day feels strange now.
Q: Have you ever thought about using daytime lenses?
A: Nah, not really my thing. Putting lenses in every morning and then taking them out when I’m hitting the waves? Sounds odd to me. Right now, I head to the beach without any fuss. I can open my eyes underwater, no worries about getting sand in there. Plus, at school, if a lens popped out or got messed up, I’d be stuck with bad vision all day. That’s just not practical. Night lenses work like a charm. They do their thing while I’m catching some Z’s, and during the day, I’m lens-free. It’s awesome.
Q: You’re quite the surfer, huh? How’s that been with night lenses?
A: Oh, it’s a game-changer! I can actually see the waves now! Back when I couldn’t, my dad had to give me a little push onto them. I surfed by feel, and it was tough, especially in big waves or rough weather. But now, I can see it all. I love being out there, taking in the sea and everything around me. Sometimes, I even spot dolphins and seals. It’s my happy place!
Q: So, getting used to night lenses, putting them in and taking them out, how’s that been?
A: At first, it was a bit tricky, like learning something new. But you get the hang of it pretty quick. It’s become second nature now. I used to worry that I wouldn’t like having them in my eyes or that I’d struggle with putting them in and taking them out, but those concerns faded fast.
Q: What did your buddies think? Did they notice you ditched the glasses?
A: Not really, most of them didn’t even notice! They sensed something was different, though.
Q: Would you recommend night lenses to other teenagers your age and fellow surfers?
A: Absolutely, I’d tell them to go for it without a doubt. They’re super easy to use, and for surfing, they remove any obstacles that might hold you back.
Q: So, mom, how did Benjamin end up with night lenses?
A: Well, I was waiting outside his school, chatting with another mom who happens to be an optometrist. I was venting about how we had to get him about 9 pairs of glasses in a year because he kept breaking them while playing soccer and goofing around with his buddies. She brought up the idea of night lenses, which was totally new to me, but I was willing to try anything by that point! I didn’t immediately understand what they were, but we felt like we needed to do something. His eyesight was getting worse pretty fast, and it was getting on our nerves. She also mentioned that night lenses might stop his eyes from getting worse, so we thought, “Why not give it a shot?” It took him a while to gather the courage to put a lens in his eye, but looking back, the fear was worse than the reality.
Q: People often don’t really get what night lenses are. How did your family and friends react?
A: Our family saw a big change in Benjamin right away. He became noticeably more confident, and everyone was pretty amazed by how different he seemed. I’m not sure a lot of his friends and family understand what these lenses are all about, but I really wish more people knew about them. When you explain them to folks, they almost sound too good to be true.
Q: Why was it important to you, as a parent, to try night lenses for Benjamin?
A: Honestly, it’s been a game-changer for our son. He’s got a lot more freedom now, especially with his water sports, school, games, and hanging out with his friends, doing things like paintballing and kneeboarding. He finds it easier to focus in class and can even sit at the back and still see the board! It’s a relief not to have to visit the eye doctor every month with a broken pair of glasses. I just wish I had known about night lenses earlier.
Q: Would you recommend night lenses to other parents?
A: Absolutely, without a doubt!