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Myah HauxwellBritish woman with microphthalmia given prosthetic eye made from abdominal fat
Date of Birth: 01.01.2015
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Mia's Journey with Microphthalmia
- A Birth with Challenges
- Complications and a New Solution
- Hope for a Brighter Future
- Living with Microphthalmia
- A Positive Outlook
- Fundraising for Future Care
- Microphthalmia: An Overview
- Those affected typically have significant visual impairment.
Mia's Journey with Microphthalmia
Born with severe eye complications, three-year-old Mia became the first UK patient to receive an eye prosthetic made from her own abdominal fat.
A Birth with Challenges
Mia Hawkswell, a native of Mansfield, Nottingham, was diagnosed with microphthalmia, a condition characterized by an abnormally small eye, at just three days old. The condition left her with vision in only one eye, necessitating the use of an orbital prosthetic since she was a year old.
Complications and a New Solution
As Mia grew, the weight of her prosthetic began to distort her face. Concerned that the changes could become permanent and cause daily pain, doctors performed a second procedure on June 27, 2018, to create a prosthetic from her lightweight abdominal fat. Using a 1mm layer of fat, the team sought to alleviate the pressure on her face.
Hope for a Brighter Future
Prior to her revolutionary surgery, Mia had endured 10 operations at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham to manage the effects of microphthalmia. Her mother, 31-year-old Lauren, explains, "Mia's first eye prosthetic was at the age of one. It was a 'shell' that we were told was to give her some symmetry."
"It did help with her facial symmetry but unfortunately, it was very heavy, so by last year we were starting to see problems."
"If we hadn't gone ahead with this next surgery, she would have gone the rest of her life with the side of her face drooping, and she could have been in pain every day."
Lauren adds, "The surgeons only used 1mm of fat, so this prosthetic is really light. It's quite a rare surgery, and it's usually the last resort, but there was no choice for Mia."
The fat was taken from Mia's abdomen, and the operation took around four hours.
Living with Microphthalmia
Lauren recalls, "As soon as I saw her, I knew something wasn't right. Her one eye was completely sunken in, and it didn't look like it was functioning properly."
"My whole world just fell apart. It absolutely devastated me. I had no indication through any scans during my pregnancy that there was anything wrong with Mia. My love for her was instantly overwhelming, but I didn't know what the future held. She had a couple of surgical operations in her first few months, but Mia shocked everyone when she needed a prosthetic at just one year old. That was a year earlier than expected."
Lauren adds, "Mia never lets her sight issues hold her back, and she's always smiling and so happy."
A Positive Outlook
"We've spent a lot of time in hospital, and Mia has been fighting a couple of infections, but we hope this latest surgery means she can lead a normal life."
Regarding her daughter's resilience, Lauren says, "Mia was smiling going into the operating theatre."
"She's lost sight in one eye for good, but we're confident that with this new prosthetic her face won't droop anymore."
"Mia has brown eyes, and it's really hard to tell which one is fake. She's going to be starting school soon, and by then, I hope she'll be completely settled with wearing the prosthetic."
Fundraising for Future Care
Lauren is currently fundraising, explaining, "We will need a new prosthesis every 18-24 months as Mia continues to grow."
"I know there will be treatment costs that aren't covered by insurance. We have raised over £700 so far, but we need to reach £5,500 to cover the rest of what Mia needs."
Microphthalmia: An Overview
Microphthalmia is an eye abnormality that occurs before birth and affects approximately one in 10,000 people.
Individuals with microphthalmia have one or both abnormally small eyes. The eyes may be so small that they are barely visible.
Microphthalmia often results from a lack of tissue that forms the eye during development.
Those affected typically have significant visual impairment.
Causes of microphthalmia include genetic mutations or environmental factors during early development, such as radiation exposure or nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy.
Surgical intervention and visual aids are typically required for treatment.
