Girl, 2, with rare condition can finally open eyes after life-changing surgery
A toddler born with a rare condition has opened her eyes for the first time after undergoing life-changing corrective surgery.
Lily Etherton, 2, was born with Blepharophimosis Ptosis Epicanthus Inversus Syndrome (BPES), which left her unable to open her eyes fully.
Her condition meant she had droopy eyelids, smaller than average eye openings and an upward fold of the inner lower eyelid.
Mum Ashley said that as she grew older she ‘kept bumping into things’ and ‘getting hurt’ as she could not see.
When Lily was seven weeks old, she had an initial operation which helped her sight for six months.
While the surgery was effective, it often has to be done several times, and doctors said they would not repeat the procedure until she was at school age, her mother shared on TikTok.
‘It causes developmental delays and vision impairment,’ Ashley said.
‘Your walking, jumping, depth perception… If you’re learning to do things you need your eyes.’
Lily’s parents contacted a surgery in Spain that said they would carry out the life-changing operation, and after six months of fundraising the family were able to raise £25,368.
With the money, they had enough for the £15,000 surgery, flights, and some left over.
Ashley said that the surgery was a great success, and left the toddler able to see her parents for the first time ever.
‘The first thing she saw was me! She had to wear bandages for about 18 hours after her surgery so once we pulled them off, she was able to see me,’ Ashley added.
‘She was confused, excited and angry all at the same time because it was bright in the doctors room that we removed the bandages in.
‘She’s amazing now and she looks wonderful. She’s sassier, sillier and more energetic.’
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