A Norfolk opticians is to relaunch as a Sports Vision Centre.
Coleman Opticians in Great Yarmouth has been undergoing a revamp and is aiming to become the go-to opticians for all sports related eyewear.
David Tuthill, director of Coleman Opticians, said opticians across the region were not currently offering sufficient sports tailored eyewear.
He said: 'There is a desperate need for it but nobody is really doing it, or not to the extent they should. We see a massive amount of children who play football in their glasses and they header the ball or fall over and the glasses not only break, but sometimes cause injury as well.'
The new centre will offer specially designed spectacles catering to a broad spectrum of sports, from cycling and running to deep sea diving, skiing and snooker.
Mr Tuthill said: 'For sports like squash where there are projectiles you're going to need a polycarbonate lens, which is much more impact resistant. But with the likes of golf and any sort of grass sports, there are different filters in the lens which help with colour definition. So if it is an uneven, loose or gravelly surface these sorts of lenses bring that to the forefront of your vision.'
The new centre could see people who are not visually impaired making a rare trip to the opticians.
Mr Tuthill said: 'The eyewear we provide is open to all. It could be that you have absolutely no prescription whatsoever but these kinds of glasses could help you perform you at your best.
'There is a huge difference between the impact of a £10 off the peg pair of glasses and a specially made pair of glasses designed specifically for your sport. The big difference is the tints. Whereas a regular tint just makes everything a bit duller, these have specific filters which accentuate certain colours which can make a big difference to your performance.'
The centre is currently sponsoring Great Yarmouth born Paralympic gold medal winning swimmer Jessica-Jane Applegate, who will be attending the launch, and prize draws will be held to help raise funds to support her journey towards the next paralympic games in Tokyo on 2020.
The relaunch of the practice in Regent Street takes place from 10am until 1pm on Saturday February 24.
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