Updated on Aug 22nd 2012 at 8:37 PM from the JustGiving API

The fantastic Murphy's Lore will be providing the music and much need instructions for the Celtic dance night on 13th October from 7 @ Romsey Crosfield Hall. Tickets are £15 for adults and £10 for children. All welcome for a fan night of dancing and music. Contact info@giftofsight.org.uk to get yours.

Updated on Jul 12th 2012 at 6:28 PM from the JustGiving API

SAVE THE DATE: Ceilidh at Romsey on 13th October 2012 to raise money for Gift of Sight. Ticket information to follow shortly.

 

 

I'm 28, I had good health and wore contact lenses (far from unusual) at the moment however I am adjusting to loss of vision in my left eye. Why?.......all because I went for a quick swim, I don't even really like swimming that much........

I went for a short swim in a pool and had my contact lenses in so I could see where I was going, as far as I knew that was ok. Within three days I was senstive to light. Thanks to the Eye Unit at Southampton General I was diagnosed quickly with having an amoeba (posh bacteria) in my eye. That was July 2011.

So why am I only writing about this in July 2012? Because the treatment is far from a quick fix....

I spend the remainder of 2012 in a dark room with things improving by Decemeber when I began building my lift back-up and started adjusting to monovision. During that time I spent a total of three weeks in hospital and I have had 6 opertaions including a cataract implant and mebrane transplant taken from a donated umbilical chord. The journey hasn't finished yet though.

So What's it like with one eye?

Well as with most things there are very funny moments, especially trying to adapt to do depth perception. Frisbee is most certainly not recommended. I'm still learning but the amount of brusies are diminishing as I navigate things better.

So Why raise money?

I consider myself both lucky and unlucky..... unlucky not to have known not to use contact lenses in water, including showers (by the way, take note) but mostly i consider myself very lucky to have been living so close to the Eye Unit and the team there. Not to mention I have one eye that works perfectly, good job they come in pairs.

There area a whole wealth of eye conditions that can lead to blindess, just imagine what that might mean. Preventing blindess and sigh t loss is so important and life changing to a larger number of people then we often consider it might. Reserach is key to a future of sight.

To learn more about the research see.

www.giftofsight.org.uk

To learn more about my condition (Acanthamoeba Keratitis) see...

www.eyecaretrust.org.uk/view.php?item_id=59

If your a contact lense wearer also thinking I never knew not to wear the in water visit the above address to find out more about how to care for contacts and use them.