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Fundraiser buys laser after surgery helps restore sight

A fundraiser has purchased a hi-tech Diode laser to thank medical staff for helping to restore his sight to a level he has not experienced since childhood.

Businessman Nigel Daniel, 58, raised the thousands of pounds needed to buy the laser by completing the Three Lakes Challenge. To do this he kayaked the length of the three biggest lakes in mainland Great Britain. Starting in Scotland, Nigel paddled the 25 mile Loch Awe before tackling England’s biggest lake, Windermere, which is 11 miles in length. To complete the challenge, Nigel, accompanied by his nephew Aaron, finished up on the 7 mile Bala Lake in Wales.

Nigel was referred to South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust’s (SWFT) Machen Eye Unit in May 2015. He was suffering with a detached retina so the very next morning Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon Chris Baddon carried out an operation to reconstruct the eye. This turned out to be more complicated than usual due to damage caused in a childhood accident; aged 11, Nigel’s eye was slit open when it was struck by a ruler. Nigel experienced difficulty in the years that followed, with the resulting scar tissue causing a cataract to form and the need for a false lens to be inserted into his eye in 2011. These complications meant that Nigel received treatment at the Machen Eye Unit on an almost weekly basis, until Mr Baddon performed a surgical procedure known as an irisectomy four months later. This continued care meant that in addition to Nigel receiving emergency treatment for his detached retina, his vision is now the best it has been throughout his entire adult life.

Nigel said: “I haven’t kayaked since my mid-twenties so we trained all summer for the challenge and even then it wasn’t easy. With 30mph headwinds and 4ft waves I think we were the only people on Bala Lake. I’m really glad that we were able to complete it because I wanted to raise this money to say thank you to Mr Baddon and the rest of the staff at the eye unit. I have had issues with my eye for most of my life so their skill has had a real positive impact on me.

“I also want to thank all of my business colleagues and friends who supported my fundraising with donations. Their generosity has helped to buy a piece of equipment that will hopefully benefit other eye unit patients in future”.

Mr Baddon responded: “On behalf of the Machen Eye Unit, and our patients, we would like to thank Mr Daniel and his donors for their kindness and generosity. It is an honour and a pleasure to be in a position to serve the public. This gift will certainly help us to be more effective in doing that.”

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