Blind Artist Completes Brighton Marathon Using Smart Glasses in World First

Blind artist Clarke Reynolds, known professionally as Mr Dot, has become the first blind person to complete a full marathon guided entirely by remote volunteers using smart glasses.

Reynolds, who has around 5% vision due to the inherited condition Retinitis Pigmentosa, ran the Brighton Marathon on 13 April 2026 wearing Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer smart glasses connected to the Be My Eyes app. A succession of pre-selected volunteers viewed his route in real time through the glasses and guided him verbally throughout the 26.2-mile course. He finished in just under six hours and 20 minutes.

Around 150 individual volunteers supported Reynolds across his training and the race itself, joining remotely from locations including the United States, Northern Ireland and Bahrain. A physical guide runner also ran alongside him as a safety precaution throughout.

Reynolds ran in support of Fight for Sight, the eye health research charity for which he is an ambassador, raising over £2,700.

It is still possible to donate at justgiving.com/campaign/clarkerunsbrighton