OPSM announced as Cricket Australia's official eye care partner

OPSM, Australia's leading eye care and eyewear provider, today announced a five-year partnership with Cricket Australia during a press conference at OPSM's flagship store, eye hub, in Melbourne. The event was attended by Australian cricketers, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Matthew Wade.

As the official eye care partner for Cricket Australia, OPSM will provide Australia's elite cricket players with optometry services, world-leading technology and the latest range of sunglasses and spectacles.

Melinda Spencer, Vice President of Marketing for Luxottica, commented: "We are excited to be partnering with Cricket Australia as we head into the summer season. This new relationship with OPSM will give our cricket players access to cutting edge technology, outstanding service and the highest quality range of eyewear in the world to help them perform at their best.

"Our goal is to improve eye health for all Australians and we look forward to bringing the partnership to life. It's important for cricket players of all ages to protect their eyes from harmful UV rays."

Mike McKenna General Manager - Operations, Cricket Australia, said: "We are thrilled to bring OPSM on as a gold partner and look forward to working with its team of experts over the next five years to help build awareness of the importance of protecting eyes for both players and spectators."

To celebrate the announcement and highlight the importance of eye protection in the harsh conditions experienced by cricket players, OPSM created a purpose-built cricket net at the OPSM eye hub store, to simulate the extreme heat and light conditions of an outdoor game. Pattinson, Siddle and Wade were put through their paces under these punishing conditions, where their high performance OPSM sunglasses stood up to the challenge.

Australian fast bowler James Pattinson said: "OPSM is a great fit for cricket. We spend many hours out in the sun, so it's great to have them on board to help us protect our eyes on and off the field."

According to research from OPSM, it's not just players who need to be diligent about protecting their eyes from harmful UV rays. On average, a cricket fan spends 5.1 hours in direct sunlight watching a match, well above the 11 minutes it takes for Australian UV to cause potential sun damage in the middle of summer*.