James Moorhouse
A US woman has shared how she went blind after doing 13 cartwheels in a row on a beach.
Deborah Cobb was just 19 when she and a few friends drove to Westport beach in Washington for a day by the seaside, but it ended in tragedy after the teenager showed off her gymnastics skills on the sand.
While gymnastics can be extremely dangerous at times, especially for those in the Olympics who attempt moves that most of us non-flexible folks could only dream of, injuries are normally limited to broken bones or bruises.
However, Deborah managed to permanently damage her eyesight after taking on multiple cartwheels on that fateful afternoon in May 2002. Writing for The Guardian, Deborah explained the moment she knew something was wrong.
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She said: "I ended up doing 13 in a row, collapsing into giggles afterwards. My friend ran over to help me up, laughing, too. Overcome with dizziness, I noticed something strange: I couldn’t see my friend’s face. It was an orange blur.
"My peripheral vision seemed normal, but when I focused directly on her, there were no details. I shook my head, but the sensation didn’t fade."
The teenager wasn't in any real pain, so she wasn't particularly worried by what she thought was just the temporary loss of her vision.
But when she woke up the next morning, things were even worse and she felt unable to complete even the most basic tasks, which led to her stepdad taking her to the emergency room.
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Deborah wrote: "It turned out to be even worse than I feared.
"After consulting an ophthalmologist, it transpired that I had ruptured blood vessels in my macula, the central part of the retina responsible for detailed vision. The amount of blood was small - like a tiny ink dot - but enough to block my central vision.
"She said it would take far longer than two weeks to heal: if I was lucky, I might be able to see again in three months. I was legally blind - I wouldn’t be able to drive, finish my studies or watch TV. I was devastated."
Fortunately, after three long months, Deborah's central vision returned, but she had still been permanently impacted by the incident.
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Now, at the age of 42, she said she has 'the eyes of an 80-year-old' after developing 'early-onset macular degeneration'.
She has also suffered recurrences of 'milder episodes of vision loss' while doing regular things, such as singing along with friends in the car or gardening.
Deborah was also warned that the stress of childbirth could also trigger another episode, so she opted to have a C-section to ensure that she would be able to see her son in the first few months of his life.
Speaking about the possible cause of the condition, Deborah added: "My grandmother told me that a similar issue had affected a distant family member, suggesting that it might be genetic."
She reflected: "It’s now been more than two decades since I attempted a cartwheel. At times, I miss it. But some things simply aren’t worth the risk, no matter how joyful they once felt."