Every day 250 people are told the life-changing news that they're losing their sight. I was one of those people. I started having black spots in my vision, I went to the optitcians and I was given an appointment that same day for the hospital. When I was told that I was losing my sight in my one eye, I was devasted! I had only just passed my driving test, finished doing my a-levels and looking forward to going to college. I never imagined that I would be at the hospital at least 3 times a week for at least a year. At one point , I had 13 consultants looking at my eye, at a conference because the hospital didn't know why i had lost the sight and i was a medical mystery! Things turned for the worse one night, when I had excruciating pain in my eye. If you were to ask me to compare, what pain was worse, giving birth or the pain in my eye? I wouldn't be able to compare. I was rushed to the hospital, where I was put on a drip and told that the pressure in my eye was 58. Normal pressure of an eye is 20. I was also told that if the pressure rose anymore, my eye would have popped. From that day, I was terrified of every little pain and ache that i had and i become addicted to paracetamol. I was on so many drops and tablets for my eye. Between the hospital visits and the grieving i went through at the loss of my sight, I wanted to end my life. I had a tough upbringing and was known to have depression, between that and losing my sight, I had given up! By this point, i endured weekly visits to the hospital. 3 bouts of lazer surgery, to try and zap the fluid from my eye. two operations, where I was awake and felt everything. I look back to that time or I may listen to a song now that I had listened to during that dark period, and it makes me feel sick to my stomach. 15 years on, I'm happily married, with 2 children. I don't have any sight in my right eye. I believe that things happen for a reason and what I went through, had made me stronger. I hate that my eye has shrunk and its practically closed now, but I refused having an eye transplant because I didn't want to endure anymore pain. I was finally discharged from the hospital 5 years ago and the support i had was phenomenal for the 10 years i was looked after. RNIB, supported me 2 years later, when I reached out during a dark time and helped me a lot. RNIB want to ensure no one faces this diagnosis alone, and that people with sight loss can live independently in a world with no barriers in the way of the life they want to lead.Our Sight Loss Advisors can provide emotional and practical support to someone who is coming to terms with their sight loss. Your fundraising could help us ensure no call to the RNIB Helpline goes unanswered, and that no one feels alone during this difficult time.