By Jacqui Mayhew 

Contact lenses for sport  worn only while sleeping have enabled a young swimmer from Flintshire, North Wales to progress to become one of the top 14 year-olds in Wales in his chosen events of butterfly and freestyle. Sam Wild is so short-sighted that prior to being prescribed his new ortho-k contact lenses for sport he couldn't see the race board or clock at the end of a race and even struggled to see his parents in the spectator area. However, ortho-k lenses work by gently reshaping the eye overnight to ensure that light enters the eye at the correct angle so it focuses directly on to the retina rather than in front of it which is why distant objects appear blurred to short-sighted people.

This new treatment is ideal for all short-sighted sports participants and especially those who take part in water-based activities since after removing the ortho-k contact lenses for sport  each morning, the wearer then has perfect natural vision which lasts all day long until the lenses are reinserted at night. Effectively, the lenses - which are custom-designed for each person - act as a retainer to hold the eye in the correct shape to correct the short-sight. After the lenses are removed, the so-called ‘muscle memory' means that the eye retains the corrected shape for over 24 hours so that the lens wearer retains sharp natural vision throughout the day and evening.

Sam trains for 14 hours every week, with plenty of early morning starts ahead of public opening times and now his training and racing can all be undertaken with perfect eyesight. His optician, Jane Smellie who has three practices in the area is a one of a rapidly growing number of independent ortho-k opticians who are offering this treatment. She is a firm believer in the benefits of these contact lenses for sport  and points out that they have wide application for short-sighted people of all ages. For children in particular, she says: "It gives children complete freedom at school and at play without worrying about specs falling off or irritation from contact lenses."

Check if you are suitable for ortho-k corrective contact lenses  for sport.