UK Anti-Bullying-Week 15th-19th November is a campaign which supports a cause dear to many who who had to wear glasses as a child. Wearing glasses at school is a common cause of bullying but a new contact lens which is only worn while sleeping could mean the end of "specky four eyes" for today's children. With dramatic rises in myopia due to the increased time spent in the cyber world, overnight contact lenses, which may slow or halt even halt myopia, could make glasses a thing of the past.
Taunts like "specky four eyes" are common and children who wear glasses are perceived as physically weak and therefore fair game for "overt bullying". Last year Marvin Humes of JLS took part on the online chat forum and appeared in a video for ChildLine talking frankly about how he was bullied at school for wearing glasses from the age of 11.
Cyber bullying is a new phenomenon, which children now have to deal with. Children now spend an average of 7hrs in the online world 4 exposing them to cyber bullying. But spending too much time online also predisposes children to the need to wear glasses.
An new option for children who need glasses are overnight contact lenses which reshape the eye while a child sleeps so that conventional contact lenses or glasses are not needed during the day. Michael Davis 13, who has been wearing night contact lenses for over a year now says. "I think my lenses are amazing because I don't have to wear glasses anymore and I can even last a couple of days without wearing them and still see. I can also play rugby much easier, as well as baseball and tennis"
It has been known for many years that too much close work can lead to the early development of myopia. It is why children who wear glasses are considered the "brainy ones" - they spend more time with their heads in books and less time kicking around a football". But it is a double edged sword as studying too much can increase the need for glasses at an early age and wearing glasses makes it difficult to join in playground activities and sports.
Whilst myopia is predominantly genetically inherited, new research has revealed that recent lifestyle changes in children's behavior - the increased use of mobile phones, texting, using computers and playing less time outside in natural sunlight; is being blamed for the dramatic increases in myopia 3. Myopia rates have almost doubled in the last 30 years according to research published by National Eye Institute 2
Overnight contact lenses offer many advantages for both parents and children. Parents can be confident that their child can see clearly at all times and vision correction and hygiene is carried out at home so parents can supervise. In addition recent research has indicated that overnight contact lenses may slow or even halt the progression of myopia in children 1. Best of all for children is the fact that they do not have to wear glasses anymore and can participate more confidently in everyday school life.
