Hi, my name is Mel and I’m Mum to Abigail, who was 3 in April. She was born with a condition called Bilateral Peter's Anomaly, which causes clouding on the corneas. Both her eyes are affected, the right eye more so than the left, which is a typical trait of the condition. Abigail is under the care of Great Ormond Street Hospital and to date has had 8 general anaesthetics for EUA (exploration under anaesthetic), corneal graft (right eye), and removal of stitches, iridectomy (left eye - an opening is made in the iris to allow more light into the eye), cataract removal (she is aphakic) and three separate laser treatments. I should also mention that her eyes do not work as a pair, therefore she has no 3D vision.

She has glaucoma to her right eye, nystagmus (wobbly eye movements) and is also extremely photophobic and needs to wear tinted glasses and a peaked cap when in a bright/sunny/glaring environment. We introduced Abigail to a long cane last year to aid with her mobility, especially when she is in unfamiliar and busy environments as her depth perception and peripheral skills are poor. Her cane is also a useful indicator to the general public that Abigail is not a ‘naughty child’ but that she simply cannot always ‘see’ people who are approaching her.

Abigail is registered as severely sight impaired (SSI), however many people who initially come into contact with her do not realise the severity of her eye condition. We are raising our daughter to be independent, and to have the confidence in her own abilities to ‘have a go’ at anything! Her single mindedness and determination will undoubtedly aid her greatly as she grows and develops. We are extremely proud of her achievements and whilst the last 2 years have been a roller coaster, we wouldn’t change anything; as otherwise she wouldn’t be ‘Abigail.’