UAE: Legally blind man builds world's largest brick eyeglasses

A brother and sister from Egypt have created the world’s largest LEGO brick eyeglasses in The Galleria Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi.

According to Guinness World Records, Zeyad Ibrahim, 19, and his sister Salma, 17, from Mansoura, Egypt, attempted this record by constructing eyeglasses from LEGO with the dimensions of 6.2m x 2.52m x 0.952m.

The brother is legally blind, with the use of only 5 per cent of his eyesight; however, with the help of his sister, Zeyad assembled the eyeglasses in 56 hours and 35 minutes across 17 days. The siblings used 65,108 LEGO bricks with a total weight of over 147kg — about as heavy as a panda bear.

In January 2020, Zeyad took part in the world's longest handshake relay during an event held in Abu Dhabi, which inspired him to break a Guinness World Records title of his own. “I got my first LEGO box at the age of 9", he said, "and since then I was hooked. I spend hours listening to YouTube videos to learn how to create new shapes with LEGO.”

The Egyptian man suffers from a condition known as Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). Primarily affecting the retina, LCA is a form of near-sightedness where patients suffer from near-absent pupillary responses, with severely decreased visual acuity. It cannot be corrected with glasses, contacts or surgery, and limited sight still remains.

While studies show that 80 per cent of blindness occurs in people over the age of 50, Zeyad suffers from the condition at just 19 years old, competing in a category dedicated to able-bodied applicants.

“Even with big screens I cannot see things. I just recognise moving objects. However, I see life through the eyes of my mother,” added Zeyad; his mother travels with him.

He is currently studying Chemical Engineering at University College Dublin, Ireland, where he is in the top 2 per cent of his class. Zeyad believes LEGO helps makes the brain stronger; thinking of shapes and creating them without being able to see them develops unique brain skills, he says. He hopes to one day work at a LEGO Certified Store, where he believes he can bring a lot of value to the company.

His younger sister Salma wishes to complete her higher studies in Ireland as well, and hopes to assist her brother in the process. She believes he can break more Guinness World Records titles in the future.

“Ever since we were young, my brother has been an inspiration to me", said Salma.

"He truly encourages me to never give up on anything I do, and I hope his story inspires people all over the world to achieve anything they dream of.”

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