Katie Piper: How long will her eye stay sewn shut and why did she do it?

Katie Piper’s life changed completely in 2008 after she became a victim of acid attack at the age 24. According to The Sun, she started a relationship with Daniel Lynch after the pair began messaging on Facebook and things turned for worst since then. After Daniel raped her, he arranged for accomplice Stefan Sylvestre to throw sulphuric acid into her face.

Ever since the horrific incident, Katie has had multiple surgeries to restore her face and still struggles with her eye.

What happened to Katie Piper’s eye? Why is it sewn shut?

After the tragedy, she was put in an induced coma for 12 days and had to undergo skin graft procedures. Katie suffered life-changing burns, injuries and blindness in one eye. Since the last 18 months, her left eye has been giving trouble. In November 2023, she decided to undergo a procedure - tarsorrhaphy surgery - which stitches the eye fully or partially.

Appearing ITV’s Loose Women for the first time since the surgery, Katie revealed:

I had a planned procedure done called tarsorrhaphy, which is a semi-permanent closure of the eye. It's an operation done in theatre and your eye is fully or partially stitched

Some people might be familiar with it, you normally see it when somebody has disease of the cornea.

Closing the eye gives it the optimum environment to heal so I've had quite a lot of problems with my eye over the last year and a half.

I don't like to go on about it because there's always somebody worse off!

She also told her followers that the surgery is a precautionary step to avoid losing her eye. Katie shared:

In my case I am trying to preserve the eye, avoid perforation and loosing my eye completely.

The 40-year-old shared that it’s a temporary procedure and she hopes to get the stitches opened in a year’s time, confirmed TheMirror. Katie said:

It's been quite painful so it's quite a relief for me to finally have it stitched up because it's a lot more comfortable!

It's not permanent, it's going to be for just about a year like this then hopefully I can have it opened!

Speaking about the operation Katie confirmed that not much has changed for her after the operation as she still wears high heels and is able to see and meet people. She added:

It does tug a bit but that does subside and then you get used to it. I had the operation a month ago now, so I'm actually okay, I'm still wearing a six-inch high heel!

I suppose I did experience both of my eyes being damaged at quite a young age. So I always feel really grateful and happy that I'm here, seeing all these lovely people!

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Sources Used

The Sun: What has happened to Katie Piper’s eye?

Mirror: Katie Piper gives brave health update in live TV return as eye is sewn shut for a year