How charitable funds are making a difference

Last year you helped Moorfields Eye Charity to raise over £5.5m as we strive to deliver the best treatment, care and research for people with eye problems.

To learn about some of the people we have been able to help please see below.

Almir

Almir has been a diabetic for 22 years and was almost blind as a result of diabetic retinopathy, vitreous haemorrhages and retinal detachments in both eyes.  The solution was to give him an avastin injection in his eyes to stop the bleeding and retinal detachment surgery using a new light system.  Both the avastin clinical trial and the new lighting system were funded from charitable donations.  “When I saw Mak being born and looked at him for the first time I was completely lost for words.  Moorfields has completely changed my life in such a positive way” says Almir who is thrilled by the improvement in his sight.

Margaret

Margaret had repeated corneal grafts, but unfortunately they kept breaking down.  Her eyes became so sensitive to light that she struggled to go outside.  However, in 2006 she received a stem cell corneal graft for congenital aniridia.  “Stem cells rolled back the clock for me,” says Margaret.  Surgery meant Margaret was finally able to open her eyes and see the sky.  “Everything was so clear” she says.  She is also now able to read large print, something she could not do before the stem cell surgery.

Charlotte

Charlotte was 22 when she faced losing the sight in both her eyes. “I thought my life was over” says Charlotte, who has been an insulin-dependent diabetic since she was four.  “I went from being fully sighted to bind literally overnight and it was extremely traumatic.”

Doctors at Moorfields were able to save the sight in her right eye with the help of a device that has been developed thanks to charitable support.

“Within hours of my operation I could see things that I hadn’t been able to see for a year.  It was amazing.  I’m just so grateful to Moorfields and everyone who supports the hospital.”

Michael

New surgical techniques developed by Moorfields, with charitable support, prevented Michael from going completely blind. 

“Although my vision is severely limited I am able to walk around areas I know confidently and use social networking sites with the help of screen magnification,” says Michael, who has suffered from glaucoma since he was a baby.

Michael’s mother Diane says that there are many people like Michael who are desperately hoping for a permanent solution. 

“The hope we have to hang onto is that further advances in research will be made, which is why we raise funds for glaucoma research,” she says.