Family helps others see a brighter future

Congenital cataract sufferer Dean Wilding, 39, saw his family clearly for the first time after surgery at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, where his sons were treated for the same condition.

After an unsuccessful operation elsewhere as a child left him blind in one eye, Mr Wilding thought it was too late to have corrective surgery on his remaining "good" eye and went through life with blurred and hazy vision.

But when he visited the specialist centre for treatment for his sons Jacob, 10, and seven-year-old Reuban – who inherited the congenital cataracts – his future looked brighter.

Dr Jonathan Chan, consultant ophthalmic surgeon at the hospital, said: "At one of the boys' check ups, I did an impromptu examination on Dean's eye and realised immediately that there was something I could do to help him.

"Although I could understand that Dean was nervous about undergoing surgery after his unfortunate experience as a child, I reassured him that surgery has progressed and that I was confident I could restore his sight. He does extremely well now and is totally independent again."

After his life-changing operation in 2008, the professional singer organised musical events with the help of his family to raise money for new equipment.

The equipment was introduced at The Children's Hospital, Sheffield, last week, and will help children with cataracts.

"The world is a much brighter place for me now," said Mr Wilding. "I had given up on ever seeing properly and was just pleased to see that my boys' operations had been a success.

"I used to really struggle with bright lights which used to dazzle me, but now everything is beautifully in focus."