Katie Piper reveals decision to be fitted with ‘artificial eye’ 16 years after acid attack
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Katie Piper has shared her decision to try out an “artificial eye”, 16 years after an acid attack that left her partially blind.
The 41-year-old activist and Loose Women host has undergone hundreds of operations over the years, since the attack that was arranged by her ex-boyfriend, Daniel Lynch, in March 2008.
The former model gave up her right to anonymity to share her ordeal in the Channel 4 documentary Katie: My Beautiful Faceand shot to fame as a result. She has gone on to advocate for those with burns and disfigurement injuries ever since, founding the Katie Piper Foundation in 2009.
Piper revealed she’d “reached the end of [the] road” in regards to her eye health and had made the decision to be fitted with the artificial eyeball in an Instagram post on Friday (10 January). She shared a video of her appearing to begin her treatment with a medical tool inserted into her eye socket.
“After many years battling with my eye health, I’ve reached the end of road somewhat, and the decision has been made to try a prosthetic eye shell,” she wrote.
“This marks the start of a journey to have an artificial eye, with an incredible medical team behind me.
“As always I’m incredibly grateful to all those in the NHS and private health care system for their talent and kindness.
“I will share my journey, I’m hopeful and nervous about being able tolerate it and would love to hear from any of you in the comments if you’ve been on this journey or have any advice.”
TV presenter Stacey Dooley and radio star Gaby Roslin left heart emojis in the comments, with model and presenter Lisa Snowdon describing Piper as a “warrior” and “true inspiration”.
“I was just trying to think of a word to describe you and I literally can’t, your energy surpasses words,” commented singer and former X Factor contestant Lucy Spraggan. “And it is felt by so many people. You are a wonder.”
In 2022 Piper told ITV’s Loose Women that she had an “emergency procedure of a cornea transplant” after she noticed a perforation and pain in her left eye, which she is blind in.
Piper, who hosts ITV’s Katie Piper’s Breakfast Showwas made an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list in 2021 for her services to charity and victims of burns and other disfigurement injuries.
