An art teacher sent a postcard from the other side of the world to thank a doctor for saving her sight.

Joyce Sutherland was at risk of losing her vision before emergency surgery which enabled her to enjoy a holiday of a lifetime in Australia.

While on the trip with her husband Roy, the pensioner sent a message to surgeon Mahboub Hawkes at the Will Adams NHS Treatment Centre in Gillingham to say thank you for restoring her sight, allowing her to see so many wonderful sights.

Mrs Sutherland, 75, who teaches arts and crafts classes, was diagnosed with a serious eye condition called wet age-related macular degeneration (Wet AMD) which can lead to rapid vision loss.

Once this vision is destroyed, it cannot be restored. She was also diagnosed with cataracts.

Wet AMD can develop very suddenly and can only be treated if caught quickly and a fast referral to a hospital specialist was essential.

After taking advice from her optician, Mrs Sutherland opted for surgery at the centre off Beechings Way.

She said: “The team at Will Adams NHS Treatment Centre were incredible, especially the nurses who were very caring and professional. They treated the Wet AMD first, putting me at ease during the series of injections into my right eye.”

Once the team had treated the AMD, Mrs Hawkes then scheduled the first cataract removal.

The initial operation was a complete success and Mrs Hawkes scheduled the second operation soon afterwards.

Mrs Sutherland added: “She was wonderful.

“She gathered from our conversations during my treatment that we had booked a holiday to Australia to see our son and she wanted to help me make the most of it. And she did – my vision cleared almost immediately. I was amazed.”

Just two months after her treatment, Mrs Sutherland and her husband were able to share the 800 miles of driving as they travelled around Darwin and the Northern Territories, where her son works as an engineer.

Mrs Sutherland, who lives in Welling, added: “It was incredible. Before the treatment, I could no longer drive and I had to stop teaching my regular arts and crafts group.

“Now I am back doing everything I love to do and it is all thanks to the team.

“To anyone who is placed in a similar situation, I can only urge them to go to their optician as quickly as possible.

“To lose one’s sight is so debilitating and frightening. There is hope and great professionals who can help.”

Mrs Hawkes said: “We were very happy to help Mrs Sutherland, who gives so much to her community with her work with older people.

“Wet AMD is a particularly troubling condition because, if it is not quickly spotted and treated, patients can be left with severe visual impairment.

“I am delighted Mrs Sutherland’s optician so quickly diagnosed her condition and referred her to us – that played a significant part in our ability to stop the degeneration and get Mrs Sutherland back behind the wheel.”