Those who enjoy sports and outdoor activities may often find themselves shocked to discover their eyesight deteriorating as they get older. For some, this can be very troublesome, not least as they may need to be able to react to mast-moving objects around them, such as a ball. Contact lenses can provide the perfect solution in games where using glasses is not an option, like football or rugby. However, will people whose eyesight is compromised find some are less than accepting of this? One curious case seemed to arise at the end of January, when Peterborough forward George Boyd was on the brink of a deadline-day move to Nottingham Forest. As is customary, he undertook a medical after all the issues of transfer fees and contracts had been agreed.
Normally, any problem at this point might be to do with muscles or bones. Not this time however, Instead, a statement appeared on the Peterborough club website saying: "Peterborough United Football Club can confirm that the proposed transfer of George Boyd is off due to an inconclusive vision test as part of the medical." Whatever could this mean? Club chairman Darragh MacAnthony attacked the Nottingham club's owners over the collapse of the deal, telling Sky Sports: "He has had this eye issue since he was a boy and it has never been a problem at any of the clubs he has been at," adding that the player had been "treated terribly," not least as he had previously spent a spell with Forest on loan.Thankfully, plenty of top sports stars are contact lens wearers, so this sort of discrimination should be rare.
Indeed, lenses may now be the way forward for one sportsman who has tried to make do with glasses, Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag.There has certainly been something conclusive about the judgements on his batting since he took up spectacles, as he has been dropped from the team after failing in two Test matches against Australia. If he doesn't want the next thing to conclude to be his career - and he has said he has no plans to retire - Sehwag may take up the lens option he has recently discussed. Blink & Clean eye drops may be very useful for anyone who uses lenses for a summer sport due to the dry conditions.