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New Mum's Sight Restored by Plasma Donation
2 Apr
Summary
- A new mother's vision was restored after receiving a plasma donation treatment.
- The treatment involved a plasma exchange to stop blood antibodies damaging eye nerves.
- The new service in the South West made the sight-saving treatment accessible.
A new mother from Cornwall, Jessica Kent-Hazledine, has regained her sight after a year of vision loss following childbirth. The 33-year-old dentist experienced sudden vision deterioration in both eyes two weeks after her son's birth in April 2025. Initially attributing it to tiredness, the condition worsened, leaving her terrified of not seeing her baby grow up.
After exploring other treatments, Ms. Kent-Hazledine underwent a plasma exchange, a procedure where a patient's plasma is removed and replaced with donor plasma. This vital treatment, administered by NHS Blood and Transplant's new Therapeutic Apheresis Services (TAS) in the South West, halted the antibodies attacking her optic nerves.
She received five exchanges at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, with noticeable improvement by the third treatment. Currently, she sees clearly with her right eye and has approximately 75% vision in her left. Ms. Kent-Hazledine, the first patient in Cornwall to benefit from the TAS, expressed immense gratitude to plasma donors.
Emma Warner, lead nurse for NHSBT's TAS in Plymouth, highlighted the service's importance in providing specialist care locally, enabling patients like Jessica to receive treatment as outpatients. NHS England's specialized commissioning team supported the launch, recognizing a gap in provision for this service in the region.
