Marc & Steven

In this section:

• The live chat we had with the family. This is a must-watch for anyone thinking about getting their kids under 10 fitted with night lenses. As you’ll see from the interview, there were some initial difficulties with Steven, the 5-year-old, which took a couple of weeks to work out with help from their optometrist. After that, everything went smoothly. As for Marc, who was 7 at the time, he had no issues from day 1.
• The parents’ perspective, from John and Marie.
• Marc’s thoughts, 10 years later, on using night lenses as a child and now as a teenager.

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

When I was about seven years old, I got prescribed glasses and wore them in the classroom to see the whiteboard. It soon became clear that I needed to wear glasses all the time to see clearly.

I felt a bit self-conscious wearing glasses because I was the only kid in my class who needed them. My parents talked to my eye doctor about getting contact lenses, but he said I was too young and had to wait until I was at least twelve. So we went to another eye doctor who gave me soft contact lenses. However, I found them quite challenging to put in and take out. Thankfully, my grandma read about night lenses in a newspaper and shared the information with my dad. He then spoke to Scott Brown, his eye doctor, who was well-informed about the latest developments in night lenses and how they could be a game-changer, especially for kids.

Night lenses changed my life. I sailed through my school years without the hassle and embarrassment of glasses. When it came to sports, I played boys’ club football and even achieved a black belt in taekwondo at 16. Whether it was swimming, skiing, or playing music, it was amazing to see everything clearly. Now, I’m almost done with high school, and in a few months, I’ll be heading to Strathclyde University to study Law and Economics. I’m excited to keep using night lenses for as long as I can.

Steven, who is fifteen now, only wore glasses for a short while. He can’t even remember wearing them. He was five when Scott prescribed night lenses. Our parents put them in for him and removed them in the morning during the first year. Initially, it was a bit tricky, causing some stress on both sides. But with Scott’s help and some patience, Steven eventually got the hang of putting in and removing his lenses by himself. It soon became part of his nighttime routine. Steven has excelled in football for his school and club teams, winning numerous awards. He understands that glasses would have been a major hindrance. He’s also into running, playing the drums, and chilling out with FIFA games online.

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 & Steven instead of glasses or daytime contacts?

Night lenses seemed to offer our boys the opportunity for a more “normal” childhood, free from the hassles that come with traditional ways of dealing with nearsightedness. I (Dad) know how glasses held me back as a kid, especially in sports and rough play. Kids can be unkind with teasing, and I don’t want our boys’ memories of childhood to be tainted by “uncool” specs – a minor point, but still important.

But even more importantly, I (Dad) had my own share of issues with contact lenses, which I’ve been wearing since I was 14. They can be uncomfortable in windy conditions, and I could only wear them for limited hours due to dryness. Night lenses also allowed us to get our boys lenses at a younger age than standard ones since we, as parents, could handle the process. The chances of losing lenses were also lower since they’d never leave the house except for family vacations. Hygiene was easier to monitor too.

Swimming is no longer a concern with night lenses. Sure, the boys used prescription goggles before, but they didn’t work well in water-flumes or diving lessons. Golf is much easier with lenses than glasses, especially when it rains. Standard lenses have their issues too – wind, dust, hay fever – all major inconveniences. Both our boys play golf.

Did you try glasses or standard contacts before night lenses?

Yes, the first eye doctor prescribed glasses for both boys. We wanted to see if daytime contacts would work for them at a young age. But the first eye doctor didn’t seem interested in considering contacts for kids under 12. He and his staff were dismissive, saying things like “once their eyes settle down.” So we did our own research and found indications that kids younger than twelve could handle lenses, perhaps even better than glasses for nearsightedness. We didn’t know about night lenses back then. So we took Marc to another eye doctor who was known for prescribing contacts to kids. He got soft contacts on a trial basis, but it was clear he struggled with them. We were frustrated, and so was Marc.

But then Grandma showed us a newspaper article about night lenses, and that opened our eyes to this new option. It said kids could wear them, and there was evidence they might slow down worsening eyesight. Both I (Dad) and my twin brother have experienced worsening nearsightedness over the years, starting from wearing glasses at age four to our current -11 prescription.

After that, I consulted my own eye doctor, who was excellent. I had stopped wearing contacts and mainly wore glasses for about eighteen months. The eye doctor had the latest information and top-notch technology. He explained the advantages and disadvantages of different lens types for kids. He also told me about night lenses, similar to what the newspaper article said. I was sold on the idea, and we got Marc fitted for night lenses. Fortunately, it worked out, and he’s reaping the benefits since.

Marc’s vision was getting worse before using night lenses, and he probably should’ve worn glasses all the time. But he only wore them in the classroom and for distance, like at the movies. At home, he was squinting at the TV and moving closer to the screen. He wore glasses to read music while playing the guitar. Steven also needed glasses for class and movies, but he said he needed them for the playground and play activities.

Did you have to encourage Marc and Steven to use contact lenses? How did you do this?

Well, we didn’t really have to encourage them because both boys were eager to try night lenses.

Marc had already tried soft contacts, and although he couldn’t handle them, he saw the benefits in the short trial period, especially during sports like football and taekwondo. Steven was also interested because he saw Marc not needing glasses anymore. Initially, we were able to get Steven’s lenses in and out, but it got more challenging, and we couldn’t continue. It was disappointing because his vision was getting worse, and he was missing out. He wanted to enjoy the benefits like Marc but was scared and couldn’t open his eyes wide enough.

As parents, we had to step in and try different approaches. We took a break for a week, encouraging Steven to touch the white part of his eye and allowing others to do so, including me (Mom). We practiced how to open the eye without blinking, a technique the eye doctor had shown us. We worked at Steven’s pace, with no pressure. Slowly, he started to feel more comfortable, and his confidence grew. Now he’s doing great and even takes out his lenses himself.

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

Marc took to it like a duck to water. He was inserting and removing the lenses on his own from day one. Steven, being younger, had a harder time, but he got the hang of it with practice.

What difficulties did you encounter?

As mentioned, Steven’s fear and resistance were the biggest difficulties. We had a tough time inserting and removing the lenses at first, and he lost trust. But with practice, patience, and using the techniques from our eye doctor, we were able to overcome those challenges.

What advantages do you think the night lenses have over standard daytime lenses?

Night lenses are now just part of their bedtime and morning routines, no problem at all. No worries about losing lenses outside the house. We don’t have to check if they have their glasses when we go out to the cinema, school, guitar lessons, etc. No need to deal with inserting and removing lenses during the day at inconvenient times. Swimming’s a breeze with no need for removing lenses or wearing prescription goggles.

Night lenses might also slow down the worsening nearsightedness. How important was that in your decision?

We saw it as a great bonus, but even without that, the other benefits were enough to convince us that night lenses were the best choice for our boys.

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

Definitely, we’d still choose night lenses for our kids.

Would you consider night lenses for yourself if you were a suitable candidate?

Absolutely, we’d consider night lenses for ourselves.

Would you recommend night lenses to others?

Absolutely! We’ve already recommended them to friends, family, and colleagues. Our 12-year-old cousin, Elizabeth, is using night lenses now, and she loves them too. It’s boosted her confidence at this age, and she’s thrilled not to wear glasses. Many people we’ve talked to didn’t even know about night lenses and how they can be great for kids, let alone the potential to slow down worsening nearsightedness.

Any final comments or thoughts from you, Marc, or Steven on night lenses?

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