Dancing on Ice star Michaela Strachan has been a fixture on screens since 1986, after getting her start on children’s TV.
The presenter then became known for her work as a naturalist after fronting BBC’s The Really Wild Show, Countryfile and Springwatch.
Away from her on-screen friendly nature, the 58-year-old had been living with an eye condition called Keratoconus
In a 2009 interview with The Independent, Michaela cited her eyes as the one thing she would change about herself.
She said: “I’d have my smooth, football-shaped eyeballs back. I once had eczema on my eyelids and got into the habit of rubbing my eyes.
“It gave me a degenerative condition that changes the eyeballs to the shape of a rugby ball.”
Michaela revealed that she was left struggling as she had to wear hard contact lenses for many years.
In 2021, the TV star finally issued a major update about her sight, taking to Instagram a smiling photo of half of her face, focused on her right eye.
She revealed: “Yesterday was an eye-opener, literally. After 15 yrs of wearing hard contact lenses for an eye condition called Keratoconus, I’ve now been prescribed soft lenses and only now need for my right eye.
“It’s like swapping stilettos for slippers! It’s an eye game changer! I am in such a good mood! (This will probably only resonate with anyone else who has had eye issues!)”
According to the NHS, Keratoconus is a condition that causes the cornea to weaken, get thinner and change shape and affects between 1 in 3,000 to 1 in 10,000 people.
While the cause is unknown, there could be a genetic link, but it’s more common in people with multiple allergic conditions, such as eczema and asthma.
Although many cases of keratoconus are mild, the condition can be managed with contact lenses and glasses.
However, for some patients, it can progress to the point where a corner transplant is needed.
