Loose Women star Katie Piper opened up about having her eye stitched up late last year after being hospitalised for an operation.
In December, host Kaye Adams explained that Katie hadn’t been on the show for five or six weeks while she underwent an operation to have her left eye stitched shut as part of her ongoing treatment.
Katie, 40, said: “I had a planned procedure called a tarsorrhaphy, which is a semi-permanent closure of the eye. It’s an operation done in theatre and your eye is fully or partially stitched up. Some people might be familiar with it, you normally see it when somebody has some kind of disease of the cornea and closing the eye gives the optimum environment for it to heal.”
Loose Women star Katie Piper on her ‘comfort’ after the eye op
The panelist, who received an OBE in 2022, added: “I’ve had quite a lot of problems with my eye in the last year and a half. I don’t like to go on about it because there’s always somebody worse off…”
At which point Kaye pointed out how stoic Katie is. She said: “You never go on about anything.”
Katie continued: “It’s been quite painful so it’s quite a relief for me to finally have it stitched up, because it’s a lot more comfortable. And it’s not permanent. It’s probably going to be just about a year like this and then hopefully I can have it opened again.”
Gloria Hunniford then asked Katie how she’d coped with the procedure.
Katie said: “It was a bit like being pregnant because you feel a bit dizzy and nauseous. And it’s difficult when the other eye is trying to operate, it does tug a bit. But that does subside and then you get used to it.
“I had the operation a month ago now so I’m actually okay. I’m still wearing a six-inch high heel!”
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Inspirational Katie finds the positives
Katie even joked that she’d found an unexpected bonus post-op. Discussion her makeup routine, she said: “Just the one false lash, so that is cheaper as well.”
In fact, the star has been conscious of her eye health since the acid attack in 2008 which left her with major injuries and blind in one eye.
She told the Loose Women: “I’ve been taking all these supplements and the bonus is my hair’s really grown so I’m thrilled about that. I always try and respect my health which I suppose is more unusual for a younger person. Because we don’t think about something until it starts to deteriorate.
“I did experience both of my eyes being damaged at quite a young age so I always feel really grateful and happy that I’m here, seeing all these lovely people.”
Read more: Fans rally round Katie Piper as acid attacker goes on the run
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