£5.5K Appeal launched to buy a new eye for brave Myah

Myah, 3, is recovering after surgeons at Queen’s Medical Centre carried out the complicated procedure last week.

She was born with a rare genetic condition called micropthamia - small eye syndrome - which meant her right eye never developed and she was born without one.

Last year she was given a new lease of life thanks to big-hearted fundraisers who raised £4,000 to buy her a new prosthesis.

But the new eye was too heavy and her face was becoming deformed by the weight.

During the four hour operation, surgeons took fat from her tummy to create a new eye socket.

Her mum Lauren Hauxwell said: “Myah has done amazingly well - she was meant to be bed bound for at least two weeks but she is up and about already.

“There were complications and what should have taken an hour took four and a half.

“I just can’t describe how well she is doing. She is a very brave little girl.”

Myah’s prothesis had been heavy for her, meaning it resulted in a ‘sagging’ structure to her face and especially her socket, which resulted in her suffering constant and recurrent infections.

Lauren said: “She has already had six operations to expand the socket.

“She has now had a dermis fat graft where they removed fat from her stomach and they have built a socket from that.

“The fat will be used to build up her eye socket until a new and much lighter prothesis can be used, which will not result in her face becoming deformed.

“It will be made into a sort of cap or cover instead of a fully-structured false eye and if her face can support this method then not only will she not suffer a deformity to my facial structure but her infections should stop too and hopefully she will not be poorly so often.”

Lauren praised her brave daughter’s resilience.

She said: “Myah just gets on with it.

“I don’t treat her any differently because it’s better that way.”

Lauren has launched a £5,500 appeal to pay for a new prosthetic eye to be made and any further treatment she may require.

Any money left over will be given to two other families facing a similar problem to help them live as normal a life as possible.

A fundraising event is being held at the Star pub in Mansfield on August 4 from 1.30-5pm.

To make a donation go to www.gofundme.com/myahs-surgery-eye-for-an-eye.