4256 x 2831 px | 36 x 24 cm | 14,2 x 9,4 inches | 300dpi
Date de la prise de vue:
12 mars 2011
Lieu:
aberystwyth, ceredigion, wales, uk, great britain, europe
Informations supplémentaires:
AT THE age of 20, Sam Hope lost his eyesight. His vision abruptly became blurry last November and, within the space of a month, he was completely blind. Sam, a law student at Aberystwyth University, was diagnosed with cataracts, which, unbeknown to him had been caused by type 1 diabetes. But he would only learn he was also suffering from diabetes after undergoing blood tests in preparation for cataract surgery. Click here to find out more! Today Sam, whose eyesight was restored by the operation at Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth, is urging other people to be aware of the symptoms of diabetes. “For two months I couldn’t see and when I went in for my pre-operation tests I found out I had type 1 diabetes, ” said Sam, who is originally from Caersws in Powys. “I was admitted to hospital and sent straight to the diabetic clinic. “I had a period of six days before my surgery to get my blood glucose levels stabilised in order to have the operation. It was pretty bad really.” Type 1 diabetes is one of the two major forms of the disease and occurs when the body stops making insulin. It cannot be prevented. It was this lack of insulin which had caused Sam’s cataracts – people with diabetes are twice as likely to suffer from cataracts or glaucoma than the general population. Because of Sam’s blindness, his parents had to give him regular insulin injections to treat the diabetes and do his blood glucose testing. Sam said: “The worst part of it was the guilt of making them do it. It was just awful. “It’s one thing being ill and another to not be able to do anything about it – I felt helpless.” Sam’s blood glucose levels fell enough for him to have the operation in January and, when he took the bandages off his sight had been restored. “I could see the moment they took the bandages off, ” said Sam, who works part-time as a checkout assistant. “I was reading my hospital admittance band and that was brilliant. “The fact I could see a
