Clarke Reynolds is a British blind artist, marathon runner, and accessibility advocate known as "Mr. Dot." After losing his sight, he began creating braille art to raise awareness of sight loss and became an ambassador for the charity Fight for Sight. He made history as the first blind person to complete a marathon using smart glasses and the Be My Eyes app, which connected him with sighted volunteers worldwide who guided him in real time through the frames of his sunglasses-style smart eyewear.
Clarke Reynolds is a British artist, marathon runner, and disability advocate who has turned his experience of sight loss into a platform for change. Based in Havant, England, Reynolds was visually impaired in his right eye from the age of six. At 32, he noticed a shadow in his left eye and received the devastating diagnosis that he was going blind. He describes his remaining vision as being like looking underwater—he can perceive shapes, shadows, and some color, but not detail.
Rather than retreat from the visual world, Reynolds embraced it in a radical new way. He began creating art using braille, translating iconic imagery into tactile works that challenge perceptions of blindness. Under the alter-ego "Mr. Dot," he travels to schools and community groups teaching braille through art, turning what could be seen as a limitation into a powerful educational tool. His work has been exhibited and shared widely, and he serves as an ambassador for Fight for Sight, a UK charity funding research into sight loss and eye disease.
Running became Reynolds' second platform for advocacy. He completed the London Marathon three years ago with the help of a tethered guide runner. But he wanted to go further: at the Brighton Marathon, he became the first blind person to complete a marathon using smart glasses and the Be My Eyes app, which connected him to a worldwide network of sighted volunteers. Through the camera and speakers built into the frames—which double as sunglasses—volunteers could see what he saw and direct him around obstacles, parked cars, and other runners via real-time audio guidance.
Reynolds' use of smart glasses represents a breakthrough in how eyewear technology can serve the blind and visually impaired community. The frames he wears combine the protection and aesthetic of sunglasses with integrated cameras and audio, transforming a familiar accessory into a tool for independence. His marathon achievement demonstrated that smart glasses—worn like any pair of sunglasses—can bridge the gap between a visually impaired runner and the sighted world in real time.
Clarke Reynolds continues to push boundaries as both an artist and an athlete. Through his braille art, his marathon running, and his ambassadorship with Fight for Sight, he challenges assumptions about blindness and expands the conversation around what is possible. His story—one of creativity, resilience, and innovative use of technology, often worn as a pair of sunglasses—resonates far beyond the running community, making him a unique and compelling public figure.
