Freak hairbrush accident may have blinded Cleethorpes teenager in one eye

A FREAK accident with a hairbrush has left this teenager uncertain he will ever regain the sight in one of his eyes.

Eighteen-year-old Kyle Stephenson's life changed in seconds when his girlfriend threw her hairbrush – with no malice or intention of hitting anything – and accidentally caught him in the eye.

Kyle, of Brereton Avenue, Cleethorpes, recalls his eye bleeding, immediately turning black and then losing all sight.

He was rushed to Grimsby's Diana, Princess Of Wales Hospital, where he told medics he could then only see flickering and was referred to the hospital's eye clinic.

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But he says it was only after a further two visits that it was discovered he needed urgent surgery to reattach his retina.

He said: "They told me during the first visit it was severely bruised and was bleeding at the back of the eyeball.

"I was sent away with some eye drops but a week later I returned to A&E as there were no improvements.

"My eye was examined again but I was just told to continue with the drops."

But days later, he says he lost complete sight in the bottom of his eye and he could still see flickering, so returned to the hospital.

Kyle claimed: "I sat in front of the doctor I had seen before but he said he could not remember me. He examined me again and said I had a detached retina and needed surgery quick otherwise I would lose my sight completely.

"To my amazement and disgust I was told I needed to make my own way to Sheffield Hospital for the operation.

"I went with my mum the next day and underwent a Buckle operation which stitched the retina back to my eye.

"I am just upset that this was not picked up earlier and I felt I did not receive the best care in Grimsby considering my eyesight was in a critical way. Later on I found out my medical notes had been lost."

Kyle, a Franklin College student, is now at home recovering but says he has lost all confidence to go out and spends each day wondering if he will ever be able to see out his left eye again.

"I feel as though I am constantly underwater, my eye just weeps now," he said.

"I have terrible headaches and little sleep but doctors say this should ease in time.

"I have forgiven my girlfriend as it was an accident and we are still together."

Samantha Hunt, Kyle's mum, has filed a complaint with the hospital.

She said: "Besides losing my son's medical notes, I think he needed urgent treatment and this was not provided.

Wendy Booth, director of clinical and quality assurance, said: "This lady has made a formal complaint to the Trust which will be subject to a thorough investigation.

"We will respond to her on completion of our investigation.

"We cannot provide any further details about this due to patient confidentiality."