Brown admits damage to retina

Published on Saturday 10 October 2009 21:40

GORDON Brown has two minor rips on his retina, Downing Street disclosed yesterday as the Prime Minister sought to clear up speculation surrounding his eyesight.

A spokesman said the tears have not led to any further deterioration in his vision, which has caused him difficulties ever since he lost the sight of his left eye in a schoolboy rugby match.

He added there was no need for the Prime Minister to undergo an operation to repair the newly discovered problems with his right eye. Eye experts warned, however, that retinal tears can cause loss of sight in the long run.

Speculation over the Prime Minister's eyesight caused controversy when it came up in an interview by the BBC's Andrew Marr at the end of last month.

Marr asked him about it in the same interview that led to Brown having to deny rumours that he was dependent on prescription pain-killers.

Brown's eyesight had been raised in the US, shortly before the Marr interview. When asked by NBC anchor Brian Williams if his other eye was now failing, the Prime Minister answered: "My sight is not at all deteriorating".

On the Andrew Marr Show, Brown described how he had problems with his good eye after his rugby injury. "I then had exactly the same thing happen in my second eye," he said. "I had the same retinal detachment. I had the same fear that therefore I might lose my sight in that eye.

"I had to have a very big operation to deal with that and every year, of course, I have to check – as I did only a few days ago – that my eyesight is good."

Yesterday Brown's spokesman said: "This summer Mr Brown had his annual eye check-up, which was fine. Later he had his retina checked."

"After examinations surgeons found that the retina had two minor tears. However, as there has been no further deterioration, and no change in his eyesight, they decided against further operations. Yesterday Mr Brown visited Moorfields Hospital as part of regular checks on his eyes and this check was also fine."

Tears in the retina affect up to 3 per cent of adults over 40. According to Som Prasad, a consultant ophthalmologist at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside, they can eventually lead to loss of sight. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye and rips occur when the jelly-like vitreous humour peels off with age.