All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea will become the first player to wear goggles at a Rugby World Cup as he battles vision problems that have left him fearful of going blind.
Savea, a key player for the defending champions, said the vision in his left eye was blurred and deteriorating. With World Rugby having approved the protective eye wear earlier this year, the New Zealand back-row says Wednesday's pool match against Canada is the time to try them out.
"Everyone has been really supportive. In terms of vision and seeing, it's pretty sweet, and it's now just a matter of getting used to them," he said.
Savea said it was an easy decision to make when he realised that he could potentially lose his sight if his other eye was damaged.
The goggles are reminiscent of the protective goggles worn by former Dutch international footballer Edgar Davids, who was diagnosed with glaucoma during his playing days with Juventus in the 1990s.
While the New Zealand coaching staff insist Savea's goggles are purely for protection, many other former sports stars were known for wearing glasses while competing.
Tennis greats Billie Jean King and Martina Navratalova often took to the court with their specs, while England bowler Jack Leach was offered free glasses for life by Specsavers after his heroics to help England win the third Ashes Test against Australia this summer.
Former United States track athlete Edwin Moses as well as NBA basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar also played using eye wear to help their vision.
Above is a photo gallery of just some of the people to wear eye wear playing their respective sports.
To move on to the next position, click on the arrows on the photo, or if using a mobile device simply swipe.
