Blinded Blackpool brain tumour patient regains sight after surgery

Nathan Cummings said he got to see his girlfriend for the first time

A man left blind due to cataracts caused by radiotherapy treating a brain tumour has regained his sight.

Nathan Cummings, 24, from Blackpool, who suffered a grade four brain tumour, is able to see the girlfriend he met after losing his sight.

"Being able to see again is one of the best things in my life," he said,

Mr Cummings had surgery to save his right eye at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and also had surgery to remove cataracts in both of his eyes.

He collapsed in in 2019 leading to the diagnosis of the tumour and also suffered sepsis and laryngitis.

"I was devastated," he recalled.

As his tumour treatment progressed, he had the surgery on his retina in the right eye and also his cataracts.

"I went to bed one night and the next morning I could see.

'Got to see girlfriend'

"It has made a big difference - I got to see my girlfriend for the first time."

He added: "I am happy to say when I saw her I fancied her."

The aftermath of his illness, which had left him needing three-monthly check-ups, means he cannot drive or work but he is looking to forward to doing normal things like a night out with his girlfriend or visiting relatives in Ireland.

Consultant opthalmologist and vitreoretinal surgeon at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Rajeev Tanawade, said he was was "delighted" with the success of his complex surgery.

The procedure was particularly challenging, he said, with intricate microsurgery carried out on the retina before the cataract operation.

He said great care had to be taken with the cataract surgery on the other eye, which was far from routine but had "vastly improved" Mr Cumming's vision.

"This has made a huge difference to Nathan's quality of life and it is very rewarding," he said.

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