Sarah’s story
20 December 2025
In 2024, Sarah was diagnosed with ocular melanoma, that led to her receiving a prosthetic eye. Reflecting on her experience, she shared, “Moorfields Eye Hospital unfortunately had to take something from me, but just as quickly gave me my life back to spend with my family, friends and my greatest gifts of all… my two sons.” Sarah is also fundraising to give back.
On the 16th November 2024, Sarah woke up and her left eye was a little blurry.
Two days later, the blurriness became worse, and with the persuasion of her family she decided to have her eye checked.
She thought she just needed glasses, however after several scans and tests, the consultant referred her to Moorfields for further investigation.
Diagnosis at Moorfields
The following morning, Sarah had further tests and scans at Moorfields Eye Hospital. She was told she had a tumour and was advised that she would receive an appointment with the oncology team in two weeks for the results.
Sarah went to Moorfields Private so she could receive the results sooner. The oncologist diagnosed her with ocular melanoma, a form of cancer.
Ocular melanoma
Learn more
The most common eye cancer originates most often in the uvea. This is the middle layer of the eye, which includes the iris, choroid layer and ciliary body and is between the white layer at the front of the eye (the sclera) and the retina.
I couldn’t believe I was being told I had cancer, but after the last few days of worry, I had a slight idea the news I was going to receive wasn’t going to be good.
Sarah, patient at Moorfields
The treatment
The oncologist explained that there were two options for treatment. Sarah decided to have her eye removed as this would be a quicker process and she would be able to get back to her normal life sooner.
Sarah was taken back on the NHS by the private oncologist.
I’ve never been so scared or upset in all my life, but the staff at Moorfields were second to none. They gave me one-to-one care, took time to comfort me and made me feel reassured that I would be ok, and for this I will forever be grateful for their kindness.
Sarah, patient at Moorfields
Sarah came home the following day feeling sore, bruised and couldn’t open her eye at all. After about a week of cleaning and using eye drops, her eye started to heal and open again. She felt shocked when she saw her empty red eye socket in the mirror for the first time.
Until her appointment at Moorfields prosthetic department, Sarah wore sunglasses. She was given a temporary prosthetic eye until her socket had completely healed, ready to have the moldings done for permanent one.
Sarah was open and honest with her children, telling them what the surgery would involve and what that would mean for her.
My two kids showed so much strength and I believe it was because I sheltered them from fear. I always tried to be strong and positive whilst they were around and showed most my emotion away from them.
Sarah, patient at Moorfields
The prosthetic eye
Later that year, Sarah received her prosthetic eye. It was molded perfectly to her eye socket and the colour matched her other eye.
She shared that it felt strange and uncomfortable at first but over time she got used to it.
The work that goes into making a prosthetic shell is incredible, and before last year I didn’t even know something like this existed or eye cancer was even a thing.
Sarah, patient at Moorfields
Advice and giving back
Sarah’s advice to others is to have regular eye checks. The type of cancer she was diagnosed with, grows slowly and can be detected early at an optician appointment.
If you ask me how I have finally found the courage to tell my story, it’s for one simple reason - and that’s to try and give something back to the most amazing people at Moorfields Eye Hospital who unfortunately had to take something from me, but just as quickly gave me my life back to spend with my family, friends and my greatest gifts of all… my two sons.
Sarah, patient at Moorfields
Sarah is very grateful for the care she received at Moorfields and is fundraising to say thank you. If you would like to support Sarah, you can find her JustGiving page here.
She has also shared her story with the Sun, to raise even more awareness of living with sight loss. You can read this story here.
