"For years, I reassured countless patients that sudden eye conditions could strike anyone - until I became one of them." This powerful statement comes from Mfazo Hove, a consultant ophthalmologist based in London, whose professional expertise in preserving others' sight was dramatically tested when he faced his own serious eye health crisis.
A Surgeon's Unexpected Diagnosis
On January 9, 2019 - his birthday - the 48-year-old father-of-two experienced excruciating eye pain and "unbearable" sensitivity to light while working in eye casualty. As an experienced eye surgeon, he immediately recognised something was seriously wrong. Colleagues later confirmed he had developed acute anterior uveitis, an inflammatory condition affecting the front of the eye that he had diagnosed in many patients throughout his career.
"I remember thinking, how can this be happening to me?" Mfazo recalled. "I'm the surgeon. I'm the one who treats this." The diagnosis left him devastated, particularly because his profession as an eye surgeon demanded flawless vision for performing delicate procedures with precision and control.
The Professional and Personal Stakes
Mfazo's concerns extended beyond his health to his livelihood and family responsibilities. "As an ophthalmic surgeon, I knew immediately what the worst-case scenario was," he explained. "I knew that uncontrolled inflammation could permanently damage my eye, and that there was a very real risk I could lose my sight."
The potential consequences were profound: "If my eyesight dropped below the required standard, I wouldn't be allowed to operate. And if I couldn't operate, I couldn't earn. I'm the breadwinner in my household. Everything was on the line for my family."
Compounding Challenges and Treatment Journey
According to Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, anterior uveitis affects the front of the eye, usually the iris, and represents the most common type of uveitis. Symptoms include:
- An aching, painful, red eye
- Blurred or cloudy vision
- A small or distorted pupil
- Sensitivity to light and headaches
Mfazo treated his condition with prolonged courses of steroid drops, but his symptoms returned repeatedly over five years. "I spent months at a time treating flare-ups, never knowing when the next one would come," he said.
The situation worsened when, during a routine examination in November 2023, a colleague diagnosed him with cataracts in his right eye, followed by his left eye in March 2024. Cataracts cause the eye's lens to become cloudy, leading to blurred vision and potential sight loss, further threatening his surgical career.
Life-Changing Surgical Intervention
On April 3, 2024, Mfazo underwent cataract surgery performed by his colleague, ophthalmologist Mr Mukhtar Bizrah. He chose a ZEISS trifocal intraocular lens - advanced technology he had recommended to patients for years. Unlike standard lenses that typically restore vision at one distance, trifocal lenses provide clear vision at three ranges: near, intermediate and distance.
"I've put it in thousands of patients' eyes and I wanted the best," Mfazo said. The results were immediate and remarkable: "It was like the world came back in high definition. My left eye was perfect. My right eye was about minus 0.25. That's the dream result."
Return to Operating and Professional Validation
Just ten days after surgery, Mfazo returned to the operating theatre. While he experienced some expected early visual side-effects - including noticing rings around car lights at night during a trip to Dubai - these faded within weeks. "The colours were so vivid and my vision was so clear, I barely cared," he noted.
Between April and September 2024, he performed more than 2,000 cataract procedures without a single intra-operative complication, marking one of the strongest periods of his career. To date, he has carried out more than 55,000 intra-ocular and refractive procedures.
"This surgery didn't just restore my sight," Mfazo emphasised. "It allowed me to keep working, to keep providing, to keep being there for my family and to continue caring for my patients."
Patient Confidence and Professional Insight
Mfazo's personal experience has enhanced his professional practice. As founder of Blue Fin Vision, a leading consultant-led eye surgery group based at London's Harley Street, he recounted how one prospective patient tested his vision by asking him to thread a needle during a consultation.
"She said, 'I've looked online, you've had the surgery', and then she proceeded to take a needle and thread out of her bag," he recalled. "She said, 'thread it for me. I need to know you can thread the needle, and then I'll have the surgery'. I did it easily and she was very happy."
This incident highlights how his personal journey provides reassurance to patients: "It's massively reassuring that you believe in this technology."
Transformative Impact and Ongoing Gratitude
Now, twenty months since his cataract surgery, Mfazo reflects on the profound relief and lasting effects. "For a long time, I feared losing everything," he confessed. "This gave me back my livelihood. My whole family is indebted."
His experience has deepened his appreciation for the transformative power of his work: "The best bit about what I do is the transformative, immediate difference. I had a patient who came to me the other day... she could not see anything without glasses. I gave her laser eye surgery and she left the theatre in tears being able to see for the first time without glasses."
From treating eye conditions to experiencing them personally, Mfazo Hove's journey underscores the vulnerability that can affect even medical professionals, while demonstrating how advanced medical interventions can restore not just vision, but careers, livelihoods and quality of life.
