'I was really excited about my new boyfriend - weeks after meeting him I went blind'

When Kitty Hinde met now-boyfriend Sam in a nightclub and the pair started spending time together, she was excited about the new romance, but things quickly started to go wrong.

After just a few weeks of dating, the teenager began to notice that her vision was deteriorating. Just a short time later, Kitty woke up completely blind.

The 19-year-old, from Stockport, had suffered with vision problems since she was a child, after being diagnosed with glaucoma while she was at primary school.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can cause damage to the optic nerve, which is vital for vision, with damage occurring due to increased pressure inside the eye.

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In a bid to save her eyesight, Kitty underwent a number of treatments, including a cornea transplant, reports the

As she started secondary school her vision got worse, which led to her undergoing a cornea transplant in her right eye, with her damaged cornea removed and replaced with healthy donor tissue.

Sadly, despite doing everything possible to try and preserve her vision, Kelly started to experience blindness in early 2023, often waking up unable to see. She then completely lost her vision the following May, shortly after meeting new boyfriend Sam.

While Kitty has found adjusting to being blind hard, she has managed to find support via her TikTok account, which she uses to raise awareness of the challenges that come with having a visual impairment.

In her videos, she offers an insight into what life is like as a blind person, sharing her honest thoughts and feelings about everything from doing her makeup to going shopping - and everything in between.

Although she has completely lost her vision, doctors are looking into the options that may give Kitty her sight back. However, they’re unsure whether these will be successful. Thanks to her openness and determination to raise awareness, Kitty has built a TikTok community of over 518,000 followers.

In recognition of her incredible achievements, Kitty has been shortlisted for Sense’s Influencer of the Year.

“I feel so honoured to have been nominated by such an incredible charity,” she said. “Thank you so much for promoting inclusivity and enabling me to share the silent struggles of disabled people in the UK. And of course, I get to keep doing what I love! Thank you Sense.”

Richard Kramer, chief executive at Sense, said: “Kitty’s social media has educated and inspired her followers, raising awareness of the huge challenges that blind people can encounter in their day-to-day lives, as well as the moments of joy. At Sense we’re delighted to be able to recognise Kitty at our annual awards and wish her lots of luck.”