Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been seen without his trademark glasses this season, and fans are keen to know the reason why he no longer wears them.
Since he moved to Anfield in October 2015, Klopp has worn glasses for most of his time on the touchline.
The German has adorned glasses throughout his managerial career. Most recently, he wore the Oakley Pitchman R Carbon Model, which sported grey and white frames.
Unfortunately, Klopp’s glasses were sometimes a hindrance rather than a help. For instance, when Adam Lallana scored a 95th-minute winner in Liverpool’s 5-4 victory over Norwich in January 2016, the midfielder sprinted over to his manager.
In the ensuing celebrations, the glasses of Jurgen Klopp were knocked off his head by Christian Benteke, and although he managed to catch them, there could be no avoiding the glasses getting crushed in the melee.
Speaking about the unfortunate incident after the game and the celebrations, Klopp said: “I don’t know, I saw nothing [of the celebrations]. Usually, until now, I have a second pair. But I couldn’t find it, because it’s really difficult looking for glasses without glasses. Right?”
Fortunately, Klopp no longer has this problem to worry about during games, as he now rarely wears glasses on the touchline.
Why Jurgen Klopp doesn’t wear glasses
When Jurgen Klopp appeared for Liverpool’s opening game of the 2021/22 season – coincidentally, against Norwich – fans noticed one significant change to his appearance. The German was not wearing glasses.
Fans speculated that it was due to laser eye surgery, a common procedure amongst those with poor vision.
The surgery reshapes the front surface of the affected eye, enabling better vision.
Klopp confirmed that he did undergo successful eye treatment over the summer. However, the 54-year-old instead had lens implants rather than laser eye surgery.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the German explained: “It’s really strange [not wearing glasses], I have to say. I’m fine. I don’t need them. Maybe I could use them for specific situations, and maybe I will. I don’t know, But it’s still strange.
“[I might need them] for very far distance. Now light is getting worse, we play a lot of floodlit games. I cannot get used to it for myself. It’s really tricky.
“All of a sudden, I see shadows and stuff like this which you don’t see when you wear your glasses. When you take the glasses off, you don’t see your face, it’s completely fine! And now I see all the things…oh my God. It’s not cool. It’s really likely that I will use them for games. But for normal things, I don’t need them, so I don’t wear them.”
Klopp confirmed in an interview with BILD that glasses “could no longer correct my poor eyesight” after 44 years after wearing them, hence the decision to opt for a “minor intervention”.
What are ‘lens implants’?
Lens implant surgery is a process whereby intraocular lenses (IOLs) are implanted inside the eye to replace the natural lens.
There are numerous forms of IOLs available, and the process is usually done following cataract surgery. It helps to correct problems with distance and near vision sight.
One of the most common forms of treatment is refractive lens replacement surgery which, according to Optical Express, is most effective for patients aged 45 and over.
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