Nicki’s journey with sight loss

The importance of routine eye testing

8 February 2023 (last updated 19 June 2024)

Nicki Guy hugging her son. She is smiling at the camera.

Nicki has been a patient at Moorfields since 2019. In the last 5 years, she has had various procedures and attempts to preserve vision in both eyes. Thanks to the care of Moorfields, her eyesight is currently stable.

Nicki had been living overseas when she had her first cataract surgery, in 2018.

Due to the lack of speciality care where she was living, Nicki moved back to the UK and started her journey under the care of Moorfields.

What are cataracts?

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A cataract is when the eye’s lens becomes cloudy over time, causing a gradual blurring of vision. Most cataracts are age-related, though they can occur at any age as a result of genetic factors or causes related to lifestyle or other conditions.

Symptoms

Clouded, blurred or dim vision
Increasing difficulty with vision at night
Sensitivity to light and glare
Need for brighter light for reading and other activities
Seeing “halos” around lights
Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription
Fading or yellowing of colors
Double vision in a single eye

The most common cataracts treatment is a refractive lens exchange operation. The cloudy lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial replacement.

The diagnosis

After a routine eye test whilst pregnant, inflammation was detected in Nicki’s eye. She was diagnosed with chronic anterior uveitis, despite having no symptoms.

Nicki received her cataract diagnosis three years later. Within a few months, she began to lose vision in her right eye, due to the density and speed at which the cataract grew.

1 in 3

over the age of 65 have at least one cataract.

After her initial cataract surgery, Nicki’s right eye had low intraocular pressure. This is known as hypotony.

Treatment at Moorfields

In 2019, she was referred to Moorfields and began her treatment.

Moorfields is just amazing and I feel immensely lucky to be under their care.

Nicki Guy, Moorfields patient

Since starting treatment at Moorfields, Nicki has had extensive work to restore sight in both eyes.

In May 2020, all focus turned to saving her left eye, following an increase in density of the cataract and a drop to her eye pressure.

Specialists realised Nicki’s eyes don’t behave or react the same way as other people’s do. Her right eye doesn’t have a ciliary body. It is rare, however this explains why it can’t make or retain pressure.

Nicki was the first patient to have an innovative procedure that involved a jelly being injected into the back of her left eye in 2022. The procedure has since been given to other patients.

Although her vision isn’t clear, Nicki’s eye pressure is currently stable. She can see so much more than she ever thought she would!

Moorfields do such important work! There are so many specialisations, brilliant minds, and research programmes which must continue.

Nicki Guy, Moorfields patient

Because of Nicki’s case, Moorfields has now started researching hypotony to better understand and treat the condition.

Moorfields Eye Charity is supporting Dr Harry Petrushkin, consultant ophthalmologist and clinical director at Moorfields Eye Hospital, to undertake the procedure in more patients with hypotony and to monitor the results.

Nicki believes that having access to all the care that Moorfields has to offer is a privilege, therefore it’s important to continue to support the work and research being done, for anyone who may need eye care in the future.

Research is essential, and I have benefited enormously through my own care at Moorfields. It can be life-changing, and I have experienced this first-hand in my own sight loss journey.

Nicki Guy, Moorfields patient

Life with sight loss

Nicki no longer has cataracts, but as a person living with hypotony and uveitis, every day is different.

What is uveitis?

Learn more

Uveitis is inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, called the uvea or uveal tract. It can cause eye pain and changes to your vision.

Uveitis is more common in people aged 20 to 59, but may happen in any age.

Symptoms

Eye pain
Eye redness
Light sensitivity
Blurred vision
Floaters (small shapes that move across your visual field)
Loss of the ability to see objects at the side of your field of vision

Most cases get better with treatment. However, uveitis may lead to further eye problems such as glaucoma and cataracts.

She considers herself to be a very spontaneous and independent person, so it can feel frustrating having to spend a lot of time “thinking” about her surroundings.

To the outside world, you’d have no idea that I am sight impaired. I find I often have to explain this to people when trying to read coffee shop menus or station signage…

Nicki Guy, Moorfields patient

Living with sight loss can be isolating and frightening. However, in her journey, Nicki has come across countless online communities for blind and partially sighted people. This helps her ground herself in the thought that she and other people living with sight loss are not alone - an important fact to remember.

Eye check-ups are important

With her story, Nicki hopes to raise awareness to the importance of regular eye examinations.

For me, it detected something that was entirely symptomless, but has had a profound impact on my life.

Nicki Guy, Moorfields patient

Routine eye testing is vital because it might help detect any eye conditions at an earlier stage - which is when they’re most treatable.

Nicki is keen to continue to support and help drive forward the research into hypotony treatment at Moorfields. She is hopeful and upbeat about what the future holds for her vision.

Whilst we are able to work on my eyes, there is hope that my vision will improve.

Nicki Guy, Moorfields patient

Nicki currently works in communications for a national sight loss charity, advocating for the needs of blind and partially sighted people across the country.