Location: United Kingdom

A small change in my vision led to an ocular-melanoma diagnosis and the removal of my left eye within two weeks. I now live with monocular vision and a prosthetic left eye - learning daily to navigate a permanently altered world with honesty, humour and resilience.

In 2024, a change in my vision while out running led to a diagnosis of ocular melanoma. Within just three weeks, I had undergone surgery to remove my left eye. It was a huge shock: not simply the loss of an eye, but an immediate and irreversible change to how I see, move through and make sense of the world.

I now live with monocular vision and a bespoke prosthetic eye. This is not sight loss that can be corrected with treatment, glasses or time; it is an unavoidable, permanent adjustment. Everyday things - judging distance, navigating crowds, climbing Kilimanjaro (summited Feb 2026!), confidence and how I am seen by others - all require more thought than they once did.

As a communications professional, I had spent my career helping others find clarity in difficult moments. Living through cancer and life-changing surgery made that intensely personal. I want to share my experience to raise awareness of ocular melanoma, encourage people to take changes in vision seriously, and ensure that the human reality of sight loss is better understood.