AN opticians in Bolton is looking to dispel common myths about wearing contact lenses.

Staff at Scrivens, in Knowsley Street, have spoken out after a study found 10 per cent of people still believe a lens can get stuck behind an eyeball.

This and other leading health myths were probed as part of Contact Lens Awareness Month, including ‘most of your body heat escapes through your head’ and ‘sugar causes hyperactivity in young children’.

Vicky Unsworth, Scrivens branch manager, said: “If enough people tell us the same thing, we’re inclined to believe it – even if it’s not entirely true.

“We find that many customers who would benefit from trying contact lenses due to their busy lifestyle or hobbies, such as sport, are reluctant to do so due to concerns based on myth not fact.

“We hope that our Contact Lens Awareness Month, which includes a free assessment, will help allay some of those misconceptions and make people more contact lens confident and see life through a different lens.”

The same survey showed nearly half of people are put off wearing contacts by thinking they would be ‘too fiddly’.

Yet more than 55 per cent of people who use them say a key benefit is their convenience.

Contact lenses are also a winner with the way people perceive they look and a quarter said sport was more enjoyable with them fitted.

The Bolton opticians has also produced a guide for those still unsure.