According to the Sunday Telegraph on-line, Gordon Brown's eyesight is failing. While the details in this piece seem a bit confused [why send an email in 36 font in order for it to be seen, when Gordon will have his PC set at 36 font anyway if that's the level of magnification he needs?], the fact remains that sight loss is always quoted as the greatest personal fear. And the reality of that loss when it happens is nothing short of full blown bereavement and devastation.
Having a cataract bad enough to need removal in your early 50s is unusual - it is usually left untreated for as long as possible when there is only one functioning eye and previous history of trauma as there is an increased risk of operation failure - so it must have been bad. My heart goes out to him - not seeing your children grow up, not being able to read a book or drive a car are a painful daily reminder of loss. There are inspiring precedents of those who overcame visual loss and continued to achieve: John Milton, Catherine Cookson, Handel, JMW Turner, Henry Fawcett and Eric Sykes to name a few. However they were not having to govern their country through times of unprecedented economic meltdown...the combination of emotional pressures must be colossal.
