Vision On: Girl, 10, sees brighter future after hi-tech eye surgery

Her parents hoped a trip to the optician would help, but instead the 10-year-old was told she was suffering with cataracts.

Now Sian is beaming again after she became one of the first to benefit from specialist equipment funded by the Children's Hospital Charity in Yorkshire.

Her parents first realised something was wrong when Sian said she was unable to see the whiteboard at school and struggled to read a railway departures board.

Her mother Rosanna said: "An optician prescribed glasses but was concerned about what he saw during the examination. He was pretty sure he had detected cataracts.

"We went to the children's hospital in Sheffield in March and surgeon Neil Rogers confirmed that Sian had got cataracts on both eyes and would need two operations."

Sian was one of the first children in the region to benefit from two specialist machines installed in Sheffield. They take measurements of the eye before surgery and a sophisticated suction machine removes the cloudy eye tissue, which can lead to blindness.

A laser is used during the procedure and Mr Rogers said having the equipment in the dedicated hospital for children meant youngsters received the best possible care.

Until early this year, youngsters needing eye surgery had to be transferred to the city's Royal Hallamshire Hospital and then transferred back to the children's hospital.

Mr Rogers said Sian also had diabetes, meaning she could receive specialist care for that condition before, during and after the operation.

Her father Alex said: "We cannot thank staff at the children's hospital enough for what they have done. The operations have made a big difference to Sian's life."

Sian, who lives with her parents in Wales, near Rotherham, said: "My vision is so unbelievable, it has just changed so much and changed my life in so many different ways.

"The operation felt like a miracle and I think Mr Rogers is a legend for what he has done."