The 27-year-old has lost 80 per cent of his vision in his left eye from playing rugby union and wasn't going to take the chance of sustaining more damage following a routine check up.

Instead he's made the tough call to end his playing days.

Eaglesham has suffered a detached retina in his left eye twice playing rugby but it's a seemingly less serious issue with his right eye that has stopped the powerful ball-runner.

"With my two detached retinas in my left eye I've also got a tiny little tear in my right and if I was to play there would be a big possibility I would lose sight in both my eyes which isn't cool," Eaglesham said. 

"It's not the actual contact with the eye but the whiplash affect.

"I even considered looked at the goggles the Irish guy who plays in Italy, Ian McKinley, wears but with mine it's more the whiplash affect that could cause it as there is already a slight little tear in there."

An eye issue almost cost the former Bill Castle Medal winner a place in the 2013 Southern Inland grand final loss.

The Scot left the club after injured prematurely ended his 2014 season to continue travelling the world to play rugby.

He's not even sure when he picked up the latest eye issue, believing it could even have been years ago.

"The old eye is as bad as it has always been and the new one is just a tiny little tear they spotted as I get regular check ups," Eaglesham said.

"They've always said you probably shouldn't be playing but never really put it across like he did that time saying you need to stop playing."

Eaglesham's loss will a blow to Waratahs' premiership hopes after he returned last season.

He's still involved with the club, helping with the coaching of third grade, and is willing to give co-coaches Angus Stevenson and Michael Davis a hand with the forwards.

Despite not wanting to give the game away going out as part of an undefeated premiership with Waratahs gives Eaglesham some solace.

"It's pretty gutting as my body feels better than ever," he said. "When I look back it was a pretty good season to finish on.

"When I was overseas all I wanted to do was to come back here and win a premiership.

"We were pretty close the two years I was here so to come back and have that season it was probably right.

"It is tough to hang the boots up as rugby has been my life since I was 17.

"It has been my main focus and my main passion."

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