Leanne Williams: taking on the Yorkshire Three Peaks for Moorfields
7 January 2020
Leanne is a patient at Moorfields and has had sight problems since she was a child. She decided to raise money for Moorfields Eye Charity by walking the Yorkshire Three Peaks.
Leanne first came to Moorfields when she was 10 years old. She was born with colobomas in both eyes and experienced a number of other eye problems as she got older.
What is a coloboma?
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Colobomas develop when the tissue inside an unborn baby’s eye doesn’t develop properly inside the womb, causing a gap in the tissue of the eye. This abnormality occurs during the first three months of pregnancy.
Colobomas can affect one or both eyes, and can affect almost any part of the eye, including the iris, the cornea, or the eyelid.
People are affected by colobomas in different ways, depending on their locations in the eye. The resulting gap might be visible to others, for example, as the gap can cause a key-shaped pupil. This can be masked with cosmetic contact lenses.
1 in 10,000
Colobomas occur in 1 in every 10,000 births
Because colobomas develop during pregnancy, those affected by the condition will have it for life. Many children and adults will not require any treatment at all, however some people might experience low vision or light sensitivity, which can be treated with glasses.
For some people, surgery is an option, where the gap in the iris is sewn together to correct the pupil shape and reduce light sensitivity.
Colobomas can also lead to other health issues, such as glaucoma and retinal detachment.
When she was 17, Leanne’s right eye died and she came to Moorfields Ocular Prosthetics Department – the largest of its kind in the UK.
“The team at Moorfields helped me through a very difficult time,” she explains. “They took my case and over the years have provided me with three amazing new eyes that match my left perfectly.”
Giving back, saying thank you
To say thank you for 25 years of hard work, Leanne decided to raise money for Moorfields Eye Charity by taking on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge - a difficult 40 kilometre hike across the Yorkshire Dales - in just 12 hours!
In May 2018, Leanne set off with a group of 14 friends and colleagues to take on the challenge.
It was a long day of trekking across the hills but Leanne completed it with a smile on her face.
Leanne’s brilliant efforts raised a fantastic £263 for Moorfields Eye Charity! She was delighted to give something back to the team that has been such a big part of her life.
The care and attention to detail after truly deserves recognition and this is why I chose Moorfields as my charity. It is my way of paying it forward and saying thank you for the years of care they has given me and will continue to give as I get old and wrinkly.
Leanne
