American-based Tanzanian songstress Vanessa Mdee has shared a deeply personal struggle on how she almost lost her sight at the peak of her career.
The mother of two caused concern among her fans when she was seen wearing an eye patch in her videos and photos, but the numerous inquiries from her fans prompted her to finally reveal the truth.
Vanessa Mdee took to her YouTube channel, Vee and Roo, on July 7 to discuss the onset of her eye condition. She recounted an experience from 2015 when she travelled to Nairobi, Kenya, for Coke Studio with Nigerian singer, Burna Boy.
“In 2015, I went to Nairobi, Kenya for Coke Studio with Burna Boy, and we were performing. It was a lot of fun,” Vanessa began.
“I landed in Nairobi on Sunday and went to sleep. On Monday morning, I woke up with excruciating pain in my left eye. I couldn’t understand what it was. I shared with my team but didn’t want to make a big deal out of it,” she said
As the week progressed, the pain in Vanessa’s eye worsened. Seeking medical attention, she was diagnosed with retinal detachment. Despite undergoing an emergency procedure, Vanessa lost her eyesight in her left eye about ten days later.
“The pain got crazier as the week went on… I went to see a specialist and he said I had experienced retinal detachment. I didn’t understand it back then but over time I have become more informed. I was losing my eyesight day by day…
“We went into some emergency procedure and the doctor did the best he could but we couldn’t save my eyesight. So I ended up losing my eyesight about 10 days later. For someone born with two seeing eyes, it was quite a blow,” she said.
The songstress said she decided to share her story as a testimony and to address the numerous speculations about her condition on social media. She expressed her gratitude for the support she received during this challenging time.
“It was shocking. It still is. All the specialists I see don’t even understand how or why it happened,” she said adding, “I thank God because he covered me in a way that I kept moving.”
The Tanzania singer added that moving to the U.S. presented new challenges for her, including difficulties with driving, adding that she had to take a break from social media for about two to three years to focus on her mental health.
“Just before having seven, I posted a picture on my socials, and honestly, I started seeing the picture circulate. I didn’t understand what was going on. Then I realised they were talking about my eye…and it made me a little bit insecure,” Vanessa admitted.
Vanessa also spoke about the positive impact of reconstructive surgery and the support from her husband. “Thank God for reconstructive surgery and science. I had eye muscle surgery that allowed my eyeballs to get back in place… It was super successful, and I thank God,” she shared.
“Not at a hundred per cent yet. My eyesight is not yet back, but we are definitely getting there.”
