This #WorldSightDay we are sharing the inspirational story of Karen, 67, whose sight was restored by a cornea transplant after 17 years living with Fuchs' dystrophy, a progressive eye disease.
The condition, which causes cells in the inner layer of the cornea to gradually die off, left her with blurry and hazy vision and dependent on her husband as she was unable to drive for 15 months, with her sight severely impaired.
Speaking of the experience she said:
'It was strange at first. One day my vision would seem okay and the next it would be blurry, like I was looking through steam. It just got worse and worse. I couldn't always recognise people properly and often relied on their mannerisms or the way they walked to know who they were.'
Having lost almost all of her vision, she was referred to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, a specialist centre for corneal transplants. Here everything was explained clearly to her, and although 'nervous' the team of nurses and consultants made her feel 'completely at ease'.
After her second cornea transplant, her sight began returning within hours, and she remembers the journey home to Doncaster, which she describes as 'magical' as she started to see the road signs clearly.
She quickly regained her independence, returning to work at a secondary school and resuming the activities she loves such as gardening, travelling and walking her dog without being dependent on others.
'I didn't realise how much I had been missing until afterwards. I remember noticing cobwebs around the house and thinking, 'Have they always been there?' I suddenly saw details I hadn't seen for years.
'It has completely changed my life. I am so grateful to the amazing people who cared for me, but most of all to the donor and their family. Their decision has given me another chance at life.
'Donation is about giving someone the opportunity to live their life again. It improves people's lives in ways you can't imagine until you've experienced it yourself. My sight is a gift, and I will never stop being thankful for it.'
Learn more about eye donation here
