They wear glasses: celebrities share their stories

They wear glasses: Virginie Claes, Mike Haysman, Mark Lawrence and Raymond Ceulemans are four personalities who have one thing in common: their lives changed when they received their first pair of glasses. Wearing glasses is no longer an embarrassment; on the contrary, it can be a source of pride!

Virginie Claes

Virginie Claes, top model, crowned Miss Belgium in 2006 and now a television presenter, has eyes you could lose yourself in.

She describes her blue eyes as her trademark. That is why, for years, she has entrusted them to a specialist in eye health.

"My eyes started causing me problems at school.

I had to squint to read what was written on the board, and this regularly gave me headaches. A visit to the ophthalmologist was enough to confirm that I was short-sighted.

As soon as I started wearing glasses, my life became much simpler, both in front of and behind the camera."

As a result, she is less bothered by reflections and flashes on stage and on set, and benefits from clear vision.

His lenses are hydrophobic and oleophobic, easy to clean. The coating makes the lenses more durable. Moreover, according to Virginie, her glasses perfectly reflect her personality. "They are a part of me. They suit me well and the feeling is mutual."

Virginie Claes wears ultra-lightweight and ultra-thin organic lenses with a scratch-resistant and anti-reflective coating.

Raymond Ceulemans

Raymond Ceulemans, Belgian billiards champion, was at the top of his game for a long time and acquired a worldwide reputation.

His hundred or so titles earned him the nickname "Mister 100" and he was knighted by His Majesty King Albert II of Belgium in 2002. Even in the final years of his career, Raymond Ceulemans remained a formidable opponent, but like everyone else, he could not prevent his eyesight from declining.

"I started wearing glasses at the age of 50, in the middle of my career. My distance vision was beginning to fail. For billiards, vision must be absolutely perfect at both near and far distances." "My optician created a series of custom-made glasses, including a pair designed specifically for billiards.

At the moment, I wear the latest generation of progressive lenses. For billiards, it is essential to see clearly at all distances.

The transition between near vision and distance vision must be smooth and comfortable." "Even today I play competitively with my team, and I never say no when someone suggests a game with family or friends. My story shows how perfectly clear and precise vision can extend a sporting career."

Mike Haysman

In Australia, cricket is immensely popular, and Mike Haysman is one of its star commentators. He spent more than ten years on the SuperSport channel in South Africa, where he hosted the Extra Cover programme and was regularly on the Super Saturday panel.

His professional playing career saw him represent Leicestershire in England, Northern Transvaal and Transvaal in South Africa, and South Australia. From 1985 to 1987, he also took part in an Australian selection during tours in South Africa.

"The first time I wore glasses, I remember immediately thinking: 'if only I'd had these back when I was a player!' I use my glasses for everything: from the moment I pick up my newspaper in the morning to the moment I relax in the evening with a glass of Shiraz." "What I expect from my glasses is very simple. They must work and suit me well. Since I appear on television frequently, I need to take care of my appearance.

Another essential aspect is the anti-reflective coating on the lenses, which allows me to face all the studio lights." "In my role as a commentator, I spend a lot of time outdoors in the sun or facing dazzling light when I commentate live from the booth.

As a result, an essential part of my work outfit is a pair of sunglasses with prescription lenses that relieve and rest my eyes as much as possible."

Mark Lawrence

South African Mark Lawrence, son of an optometrist, is an international rugby referee. He refereed his first international match in 2000 and served as a touch judge at the Rugby World Cup in 2003 and 2007.

"I started wearing glasses at school because I had problems seeing at a distance. My father was an optometrist and gave me a pair of glasses to help me study. As I grew up, I was able to set them aside as my eyesight had improved.

Eventually, with age, I had to go back to them, as reading had become more difficult." "My glasses are not just functional; they also play a promotional role. I meet many people who have near-vision problems and who would need a prescription.

Personally, I have two pairs of glasses. One pair of single-vision lenses that I wear most of the time and another, stronger pair of single-vision lenses for near vision, for the days I spend reviewing the laws of rugby — more than 700 of them! On the pitch, I tend to wear contact lenses, which are better suited to this physical sport…"

Mark qualified as an optometrist in 1987 and took over his father's practice in Standerton in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa.

"Optometrist and referee is an unusual combination. Throughout the week I tell people they cannot see properly. At the weekend, when I referee, it is the people who say that I am the one who cannot see properly!"