Sight-saving surgery in Scotland restores Edinburgh mum’s vision, and her caring role
An Edinburgh woman whose deteriorating eyesight meant she was at risk of no longer being able to drive her disabled daughter to appointments has been gifted life-changing surgery.
Single parent Henrietta Forman’s eyesight was being managed by in the community by her local optometrist Ian Cameron, of Cameron Optometry in Edinburgh.
But when her vision reached crisis levels and the DVLA were considering removing her driving licence, her lengthy wait time for surgery on the NHS became intolerable. Losing her licence for medical reasons would have had a severe impact on her ability to care for daughter Finola (33) who has complex needs and is a wheelchair user, and also a family friend, whom Henrietta also helps care for.
Optometrist Ian was aware that Vision Scotland, the country’s leading provider of private eye surgery, had a discretionary fund. He referred Henrietta, and she was astonished to be offered immediate surgery at no cost to herself, not least of all as her problems were bigger than she thought.
“I got such a shock when surgeon Jonathan Ross asked me what I wanted help with. I was aware my eyelid was nearly closed due to ptosis, but he told me I had five different issues with my eyes.”
Over the course of three surgeries with Mr Ross and his colleague Mr Manjit Mehat her ptosis was fixed, a retinal peel was done and a serious cataract was removed.
Henrietta, whose vision is now well within safe limits for driving, said: “Mr Mehat told me your eye is like a camera, and you need a good lens and good film. He has given me back my sight; I now have light, and sight and it is incredible.”
She described the facilities at the Edinburgh Vision Scotland hospital as ‘state- of-the-art’ and said the team were very professional, empathetic and friendly.
And as a gesture of the family’s gratitude to the surgeons, Finola gifted them a painting she created of Edinburgh Castle, which hangs proudly in the hospital.
Our company runs the Sight Saving Fund, which staff members fundraise for all year round. This allows us to offer help at our discretion, at no cost to the individual themselves.
“We do this when we can see that the impact of sight loss has on the individual, and that the benefits massively outweigh the costs. Many of us used to work in the NHS and we love being able to pay it forward and help people when they need it most.”
When the team at Vision Scotland’s Edinburgh hospital could see what a detrimental effect losing her licence would have in Henrietta and those she cares for, they agreed to take the case on pro bono.
It is not until your eyesight goes that you realise the importance of having the ability to see and the impact it has on your life and those around you. This was not just affecting my ability to drive but being there for my daughter and for my next-door-neighbour.
Vision Scotland routinely takes referrals from High Street optometrists across the country, as is a leading private provider. But she says the firm is happy to hear from optometrists and to step in to do the right thing when required, treating people when the NHS cannot speedily help. This has included members of the emergency services at risk of losing their jobs or ability to work on the front line.
She added: “It’s nice for us– many of whom have NHS backgrounds – to still help people in this way.”
Surgeon Jonathan Ross said: “Vision Scotland’s success is due, in large part to the relationships we have with community optometrists across Scotland. They care deeply for their patients and feel their patients’ pain when there is no more they can do to help. We hope the Sight Saving Fund offers optometrists and their patients some hope that there is someone out there who will help.”
Find out more about Vision Scotland, which has expanded since it was formed in 2013 to have branches in Edinburgh, Galashiels, Aberdeen and Stirling, and a brand new hospital in Glasgow, here.