Vision challenges don’t stop champions – and they shouldn’t stop you. Around the world, athletes with eye conditions or glasses prove that sight loss or blurred vision doesn’t mean giving up on your goals. From football pitches to Paralympic tracks, these seven inspiring athletes show that protecting eye health keeps it from becoming an obstacle.
England’s Euro 2025 Hero Despite Depth‑Perception Challenges
Born with strabismus (a condition where the eyes don’t align properly) and struggling with depth perception, doctors once told Hannah to give up football. Thankfully, she didn’t listen. Today, she’s England’s No. 1 goalkeeper, playing for Chelsea and making two game-saving penalty stops in the Euro 2025 quarterfinals.
By the age of three, Hannah had already undergone three eye surgeries that improved her vision—but challenges remained. With one eye shortsighted and the other longsighted, she now relies on contact lenses to manage her sight. Hannah shared that she struggles pouring a glass of water “If I'm not holding the glass itself, I will miss it and spill it everywhere." Hannah shares with BBC Sport. Yet she performs at a world-class level under pressure.
What she proves: with determination, adaptations, and support, even conditions that seem insurmountable can be defeated.
Why Her Story Matters for Orbis and Eye Health:
Three-year-old Faruk from Ethiopia was often shy of strangers after children reacted to his misaligned eyes. Diagnosed with monocular exotropia at Hawassa University Referral Hospital, he received treatment — and is now thriving and finally able to attend school, a dream once impossible.
Football Legend with Goggles On.
Known for his fierce talent and distinctive protective goggles, Dutch footballer Edgar Davids played for world-class teams like Juventus and Ajax – all while managing glaucoma. His goggles weren’t a fashion statement: they shielded his vision on medical advice after eye surgery.
What he proves: You can stay at the top of your game, with the right protection.
Blind Comedian and Marathon Runner.
Completely blind due to a genetic eye condition called retinitis pigmentosa, Chris McCausland is best known for making people laugh. But he also completed the 2024 London Marathon, proving that physical goals don’t need perfect vision, just determination. In 2024, he won Strictly Come Dancing competition, inspiring millions with his performances.
What he proves: You don’t need sight to go the distance.
Blind Sprinter with Guide Runner.
Born with Stargardt’s macular dystrophy, Libby lost most of her sight by her early 20s. With a guide runner by her side, she’s become a Paralympic gold medallist in sprinting, and even competed on Dancing on Ice.
What she proves: Teamwork, trust and talent beat every obstacle.
Ten-year-old Toan from Vietnam struggled with poor vision that affected his grades and confidence. Thanks to an Orbis-funded school project, he received a free screening and glasses — giving him the chance at a brighter future.
Quarterback with Glasses Since Childhood.
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning has worn glasses since the age of three, and still uses both glasses and contact lenses on the field.
What he proves: Needing vision correction doesn’t hold you back from competing at the top.
At Orbis, we work in communities where access to glasses, eye exams, and treatment is limited. In these places, children and adults often give up on dreams, because of something as preventable as blurry vision or an untreated eye disease.
These athletes show us what’s possible when people get the care, tools, and belief they need.
Your support gives children the chance to dream big – and see it through.
