A round-up of the eye-related hot topics that have been trending on social media over the last few weeks.
#WinterOlympics #SpeedSkates
The Winter Olympics have been a fantastic spectacle. It is always amazing to see such skill and athleticism in sports that I would not typically follow. One moment that grabbed headlines across the world was when Polish short-track speedskater Kamila Sellier went down mid-race with two others and sustained a laceration above her left eye [1]. With blood across her face, she was stretchered out of the arena, a scary sight for all those watching. Thankfully it was later confirmed that the injury did not affect the eye itself, though she did suffer a fracture and sutures were needed to close the injury. Every speedskater must wear goggles to protect their eyes from potential harm in a race, and this incident shows just how important they are.
#DonnyOsmond #Vegas
Injuries can happen at any moment, to anyone, sometimes in settings worlds apart from the Winter Olympics. Joanne Julkowski was attending a Donny Osmond concert at his residency in Las Vegas, but was hit in the back of the head by an inflatable ball that was released as part of the show [2]. She suffered a traumatic retinal injury with retinal detachment, alongside other head and neck injuries. She is now suing the legendary American singer, claiming that it was negligence that led to this injury as the decision to release such balls breaches the duty of care the performer and the venue has to fans attending the show.
#Technology #ContactLenses #WearableTech
I am always excited to hear about new innovations on the horizon. At Europe’s largest technological show, the Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, I was very intrigued to read about one company’s newest wearable tech. Xpanceo are in the market of smart contact lenses, with a heads-up display and possible medical uses like monitoring blood sugar levels and intraocular pressures [3]. Smart glasses were futuristic enough, but this is another level! These devices are powered by a super-small battery, charged wirelessly via an over-the-ear device, making their use well suited for those wearing helmets, such as extreme sport athletes or even astronauts. And it turns out that Xpanceo is actively working on the latter having already signed a deal with a space agency. It sounds beyond belief to me, like science fiction coming to life. With a consumer-orientated prototype due to be released in 2027, watch this space for further updates.
#JeanWilson #Sightsavers
The Guardian recently featured a touching obituary to Jean Wilson who has sadly passed away at the age of 103 [4]. She was co-founder of the charity Sightsavers alongside her husband, though it was first called the British Empire Society for the Blind when created in 1950, before its name change in 1986. The charity works against blindness in developing countries, now operating out of 30 countries and funding nine-million eye examinations and half-a-million ophthalmic operations each year. I never knew this, but it was Jean who coined the phrase “river blindness” for onchocerciasis. She saw the struggles of those affected in a village in Ghana and needed a term that would be better understood for fundraising and awareness and the name caught on. With decades of charitable work under her belt, she was recognised as an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in 2002.
#GuideDog #Royalty
On the topic of charities, Guide Dogs for the Blind have recently celebrated 40 years of work in Northern Ireland. This amazing milestone was recognised with a visit from the Duchess of Edinburgh, a story picked up by the papers [5]. Traveling to different sites across Northern Ireland, she met volunteers, people affected with vision loss and guide dogs over a busy day. The charity provides valuable support for those with vision loss across Northern Ireland and it’s wonderful to see them get the recognition they deserve.
#Gaming #Charity
Blind gamer Dom Hall lost his sight at the age of three with a tumour of his optic nerve and had completely lost sight in both eyes by the time he was 35 [6]. He recently streamed a two-hour gaming session playing Mortal Kombat, playing to the sounds while answering questions from viewers. This was all in aid of a local charity to him, iSightCornwall, attracting thousands of viewers from across the world. He says that he has always been a keen gamer and thought he would not be able to continue once he lost his sight completely, but has found many games are now made that offer accessibility options for those with vision loss to allow them to be played and he still gets to enjoy his hobby and the interactions it brings with others.
#Love
Malcolm Day and Sarah Brooks, a blind couple from Scarborough, are hoping that the news of their upcoming wedding will be an inspiring story for people with visual impairment who are nervous about dating [7]. They first met at an event in Blackpool attended by 80 visually impaired people and hit it off straight away. My favourite part of their love story is Malcolm proposing during karaoke, specifically during a joint rendition of Sonny and Cher’s I Got You Babe. Having sight loss can add an extra layer of trepidation when it comes to dating, which is hard enough as it is. Hopefully this story will touch at least one person and get them to put themselves out there in the dating world.
References
1. www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/winterolympics/
article-15578903/winter-olympics
-speed-skater-eye-injury.html
2. https://nypost.com/2026/02/21/entertainment/
donny-osmond-sued-for-negligence-after-concert
-ball-allegedly-causes-eye-injury/
3. www.tomsguide.com/wellness/fitness-trackers/
forget-smart-glasses-i-saw-the-future-of-smart-contact
-lenses-and-theyre-coming-sooner-than-you-think
4. www.theguardian.com/society/
2026/feb/25/jean-wilson-obituary
5. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/
home-news/sophie-edinburgh-belfast-northern
-ireland-the-duchess-b2931272.html
6. www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3ew4j2zgyvo
7. www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce94gnvn4dlo
[All links last accessed March 2026]
Declaration of competing interests: None declared.
