During the semifinal of the men’s 100 backstroke, many fans were surprised when French swimmer Yoann Ndoye-Brouard failed to flip-turn at the 50 meter mark, instead hitting his head on the wall.
Ndoye-Brouard has revealed that the collision was due to a degenerative eye problem. As a result of the problem, he was unable to see the flags going into the wall. According to Ndoye-Brouard, the condition affects his cornea, and he will be undergoing surgery for it in September.
Ndoye-Brouard specifically says that he is suffering from Keratoconus, which is also referred to as a bulging of the cornea. According to the Mayo Clinic, this disease can result in pain, blurred vision, and an extreme sensitivity to light, further verifying Ndoye-Brouard’s statement regarding the projectors in the arena.
The usual treatment for the condition is a corneal transplant, which according to a UK-based eye surgery center Optimax requires a week for recovery, but possibly longer for those participating in sports.
Nyode-Brouard, at only 20-years-old, is the reigning European Championships bronze medalist in the 100 backstroke. The Tokyo Olympics are his first Olympic Games. In prelims of the 100 backstroke, Nyode-Brouard swam a time of 53.13 to qualify 6th overall before his disqualification in the semifinal. In addition to the 100 backstroke, Nyode-Brouard also contested the 200 backstroke, where he finished 9th overall in a time of 1:56.93. He was not originally qualified for the semifinal of the 200 backstroke, but a last-minute scratch by China’s Xu Jiayu moved him up from a reserve spot. Barring any scratches from the final, Nydoe-Brouard is done competing in individual events, and will most likely make his final appearance of the meet on France’s 400 medley relay.
Cross linking is now used more than corneal transplants as a treatment.
so sorry to hear this. hope he fixes his sight soon