Max’s Eye to Eye story
A family come together to give back to Moorfields
12 August 2020 (last updated 3 April 2024)
At just three months old Max was first admitted to Moorfields after being diagnosed with congenital bilateral ptosis. In the first nine years of his life Max was a regular patient at the hospital and underwent multiple surgeries to improve his eyesight. Now that Max is a teenager, he and his family are thankful for the treatment they received at Moorfields.
What is congenital bilateral ptosis?
Learn more
Ptosis is the medical name for the drooping of the upper eyelid, which can happen in one or both eyes. Ptosis can either be present at birth (congenital), or appears later in life (acquired), following long-term contact lens wear, trauma, after cataract surgery or other eye operations. There are less common causes of a droopy eyelid, such as problems with the nerves or muscles.
Congenital ptosis affects a child from birth and is commonly due to a defect in the levator muscle which raises the eyelids. It can affect one or both lids.
Although this can be purely a cosmetic problem, it can also prevent normal visual development, so surgery to correct the lid position is sometimes necessary.
Ptosis surgery usually involves shortening the muscles or tendons that raise the lid. The muscle or tendon is reattached to your eyelid using sutures, which are buried under the skin.
Max’s Moorfield’s journey
When Max was first admitted to the hospital his doctor, Mr Uddin, recommended an operation to lift his eyelids. After the surgery, when Max was just seven months, he could see properly for the first time. Without this operation his family feared Max may have lost his sight all together.
A second operation followed at age two. Then, at age eight, Max had an auto-genus fascia-lata operation. This included removing a muscle from his leg into his eye. This greatly improved Max’s eyesight and he could finally see properly.
Having been a regular patient for most of his life at the time, Max was signed off from the hospital at the age of nine. It was a relief for Max’s parents to know that their son was able to see, especially after years of uncertainty.
This is the charity that is closest to our hearts because of Max.
Caroline, Max’s mum.
Team Max after completing their 15 miles in 2022
Giving back
Max and his family completed the Eye to Eye walk in 2020 and raised a phenomenal £5,200 for Moorfields Eye Charity - the biggest amount raised by any team walking that year. We were so pleased that they returned to walk 15 miles in 2022 when they smashed it again and raised £5,755. Over the years, Team Max has raised just over £13,000 with various fundraising efforts!
They are delighted to be able to give something back and we are so grateful for all their hard work, not only for taking part but also encouraging generous donations from friends and family. True #TeamMoorfields spirit!
At every single visit to the hospital for the first nine years of his life, Max was treated with the utmost respect and consideration. We cannot thank Moorfields enough and so we have decided to take on this arduous feat to give back.
Caroline, Max’s mum.
