24 Jan World Championship diver has annual sight check-up
SPENDING hours in the pool honing her synchronised diving skills means that regular eyesight check-ups are particularly important for local hero Robyn Birch, who hails from Ashford, Surrey.
So, a visit to Specsavers at Two Rivers in Staines in December assured Robyn that her eyesight is in tip-top condition for the physical demands of this high-risk sport. Robyn, a member of Team GB’s senior diving team, cut a stylish figure when she arrived at the store. Sporting her full colours and official uniform, she was greeted by the team and was delighted to chat to them while waiting for the various sight tests.
A contact lens wearer, Robyn also had a thorough check up with the senior optometrist Jasmeen Khera, to ensure that the Daily Linarial lenses were still the right ones for her. When training and competing, Robyn wears her lenses to ensure that her eyesight is as perfect as possible – particularly as she is diving from 10m, so pinpoint accuracy is key.
During her appointment, Robyn chose to have an OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) scan which is hospital grade and takes a 3D image of the back of the eye and can detect some eye conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy up to four years ahead of them presenting via a standard eye test.
Commenting on her visit Robyn says: ‘I’m very fortunate to have Specsavers Staines regularly monitor my eyesight. The team are wonderfully supportive and on hand if I have any questions or need to pop in for a quick check up.
‘I do appreciate that the rigours of my training programme, especially in the pool, could potentially cause eye issues, so being able to call on the team is a great back-up.’
Initially an international gymnast who represented Great Britain in the 2009 European Championships hosted in Portugal, and the 2010 World Championships in Poland, achieving a silver medal, Robyn became British Acrobatic Gymnastics Champion in 2010. Making the switch to diving in 2011, she was selected for Team GB’s senior diving team in 2013 and has remained in the team ever since – which is a great accolade to her skills and prowess in the sport.
In 2018 Robyn was selected to compete in the Commonwealth Games held on the Gold Coast in Australia. More recently Robyn and dive partner, Emily Martin from Southampton competed in the 2022 World Championships hosted in Budapest. Later in July, they competed at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, where they achieved a Bronze Medal in the women’s 10m platform synchronised event.
Optometrist Jasmeen Khera says: ‘Spending as much time as Robyn does in the pool means that regularly monitoring and checking her eyesight is very important, particularly as the risk of eye infections is increased by wearing contact lenses, as this is not normally recommended for swimming.’
Retail director Helen Belkhodja commented: ‘As a team we are all very proud of Robyn’s achievements. It takes dedication and commitment to reach this high level in any sport, and synchronized diving with its intricate movements is especially challenging.
‘We remain committed to continuing our support for Robyn and the demands of her sporting profession with regular sight tests and supply of her preferred contact lenses. We wish her continuing success.’
To check that your sight and hearing are in tip top condition you can book an appointment at Specsavers Staines by calling 01784 493355 or you can book online: https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/staines
