LITTLE Eleanor and Joseph Wait wear their sunglasses whatever the weather - because their eyesight depends on it.

Eleanor, four, and Joseph, two, have a rare eye condition called Nys-tagmus, an involuntary eye movement, which means they must wear sunglasses outdoors. And the youngsters' eyesight can even depend on their moods.

Their parents Gareth and Michelle Wait, of Wainfelin Avenue, say the children's vision varies if they are happy or sad.

Gareth, 33, said: "Nystagmus is very variable and the children's ability to see depends on if they are tired or upset and the happier they are the better they can see.

"Their vision is sometimes good, sometimes bad but mostly in-between and they have to wear sunglasses when they go outside.

"One thing is certain, though, their eyesight will never get better."

It took two years for the Waits to find out what it was Eleanor was suffering from. The mystery was finally solved by Maggie Wood-house, senior lecturer in opthamology at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.

Gareth said: "The condition they have comes from Michelle and I and the chances of it happening are a billion-to-one.

"Although we do not have the condition it has been passed on to our children. "If we had had different partners then they wouldn't have the condition." The couple, who look after their children full-time, were helped by LOOK, a UK-wide charity set up 10 years ago by Brian Mawby, director of education in Blaenau Gwent, whose son is visually impaired, and Jennifer Bowen, mother of BBC Breakfast News' Cardiff-born presenter Jeremy Bowen, whose daughter Charlotte, 23, is registered blind. They now hope to set up LOOK CYMRU, a Welsh branch.

"We felt so alone and didn't know where to turn," Gareth said. "LOOK are wonderful in helping the parents and families of children who are vision-impaired.

"Things are going really well for our children at the moment with Eleanor really happy after starting in St Albans Roman Catholic School in Pontypool and Joe starting in nursery."

A fun night at the Fairwater Conservative Club, Cardiff, has raised £700 for LOOK.

For further information contact Michelle Wait on (01495) 751873 or by e-mail on michelle@look-uk.org