Brian O'Driscoll reveals he suffered for the majority of his career
Rugby NewsMonday, 30 March 2020 at 21:15
Brian O’Driscoll has revealed he suffered with terrible eyesight during the majority of his career.
The Ireland legend discovered he was short-sighted during his glory days, only getting laser treatment at the age of 30.
“It’s funny what the brain does and how it adapts. And probably my quality of life outside the rugby pitch improved massively when I did get my eyes lasered.
“It stopped me finding myself in situations where someone would call my name from across the road and I didn’t know if I knew that person or not.
“When I went and got my eyes lasered eventually the specialist told me the only reason I was able to play professional sport was because it happened at such a young age that my brain was able to adapt to see what I needed to see.
“I might have struggled with hurling and golf – which is probably why I’m such a brutal golfer.”
INSPIRING | Rugby players who overcame disabilities
Read about the rugby players with disabilities who refused to be limited by their conditions.
These inspiring achievers pursued their dreams and achieved so much!
RUGBY PLAYERS WITH DISABILITIES:
1. Ian Mckinley - Blindness
It’s now roughly eight years since the accident that led to Ian McKinley losing the sight in his left eye. In a freak accident, a stray boot from a fellow teammate perforated his left eye while playing a club match in 2010 for University College Dublin, leaving him partially blind in that eye. The injury would be a career-ending one for 99.9% of professional athletes but not for McKinley.
2. Henry Slade - Type 1 Diabetes
Slade signed his first professional contract with Exeter Chiefs at the age of 18, the same year in which he also developed type 1 diabetes. Under the 2010 Equality Act, type 1 diabetes is defined as a disability, in that it may have a 'substantial, long-term, negative impact on a person's ability to carry out normal, day-to-day activities'.
3. Jonah Lomu - Nephrotic syndrome
He was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome, a serious kidney disorder in 1995, and the disease had a significant impact on his playing career and wider life. By 2003 he was on dialysis and in 2004 underwent a kidney transplant. He then attempted a comeback but did not play international rugby again, and retired from professional rugby in 2007. He died unexpectedly on 18 November 2015 after suffering a heart attack associated with his kidney condition.
4. Lewis Moody
Former England captain Moody was diagnosed with an inflammatory bowel disease called ulcerative colitis in 2005, but kept his condition secret while continuing to play top-level rugby. Now retired, he wants to raise awareness of the Crohn’s and Colitis UK charity which helps around 260,000 people in the UK with this type of disease.
5. Ellis Genge - Dyspraxia
The superstar Leicester and England prop is thriving. Dyspraxia affects the use of muscles. Different types of dyspraxia can affect writing, speech and other movements involved in learning. Forever inspiring us, Genge has gone onto help kids going through the same tough problems he did while also making the England Rugby World Cup Squad.
6. Nathan Charles - Cystic fibrosis
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