CONTACT LENSES FOR LEWIS.. AT 4 DAYS OLD; Toddler'ssuccess amazes doctors.

Brave Lewis Kennedy was given the gift of sight by getting contacts lenses fitted - at just FOUR DAYS old.

The tot was born with an optical condition, which meant surgeons had to remove his own lenses just hours after he was born.

He was left virtually blind until doctors at Yorkhill Sick Children's Hospital in Glasgow took the step of trying contacts on his tiny eyes.

Now 14 months later little Lewis has perfect vision.

The success story has amazed doctors, who now believe more children with eye disorders could benefit from contacts rather than glasses.

But even though he's become the youngest child in Scotland to wear them, it's not all plain sailing for his mum and dad.

His parents have to watch over him all the time in case he plucks them out and throws them away.

Mum Eileen said: "Thank goodness we get them free on the NHS, because we find them everywhere - on the floor, under tables, in his nappy, you name it."

Lewis was born with congenital bilateral cateracts - a film which spreads over the lens of the eye, obscuring vision.

The hereditary problem was passed on from Eileen.

She and boyfriend Chris, of Finnieston, Glasgow, were given the option of glasses for Lewis but they knew that he wouldn't keep them on for any length of time.

She said: "We decided that glasses would be too heavy for his wee face and they wouldn't stay on for more than a couple of minutes.

"And sometimes children can be cruel towards little boys and girls who wear specs.

"But to be honest he doesn't like having the contact lenses put in either.

"In fact, it's quite a struggle holding him down and keeping his eyelids open.

"Not everyone can cope with having to look at a baby every few minutes to make sure they lenses are still in place and they haven't rolled up to the back of his eyeball.

"But he knows if he takes them out he'll only have to go through the same thing again.

She added: "Hopefully it won't be long until he's old enough to realise why he has to wear them, and what benefit they give him

"We hope that by the time he goes to school it will be second nature to him. He will always wear them. But one day he may have lenses implanted in his eyes."

Eileen, 29, said opticians hope to teach Lewis how to put the lenses in himself when he reaches three.

She added: "He's not talking yet and therefore can't tell us if his eyes are hurting or whether one of the lenses has fallen out.

"But fortunately we always have spare ones just in case."

She and Chris, a 31 year-old accounts manager, find it harder to put them in for him, the older he gets. Eillen said: "When he was a baby it wasn't so bad.

"But the stronger he gets, the more difficult it is for us to hold him down

"I have often have to put his head between by knees and hold his legs and feet up towards my chest, while Chris holds his eyes open and puts them in.

"But his muscles are developing all the time and he puts up quite a struggle

"When we catch him at the right time, we can have them in after a few seconds.

"But other time we have to give up after five minutes and try again a little while later."