Visually impaired mum is determined to live life to the full and is already thinking about baby number 11
Heather McIntyre, 41, was born with congenital cataracts and suffers from glaucoma, which also causes sight loss
A BLIND mum with 10 children has told how she's determined to live life to the full - and is already thinking about baby number 11.
Heather McIntyre, 41, was born with congenital cataracts and suffers from glaucoma, which also causes sight loss.
But despite her severely impaired vision, which she inherited from her mum and grandmother, Heather refuses to let it stop her living a normal life - and being a mum to 10 kids.
She explained: "Despite the fact half our children are blind, we always make it work.
"The children who can’t see do their school work in braille, which we also use to label appliances around the house."
Heather, from South Penrith, Australia, is married to Garry, 56, whom she met at a house party when she was 19 and working in telemarketing.
At that time she was completely blind and couldn't even make out shadows.
She recalled: "We instantly clicked and at the end of the night, he asked me out to the cinema.
"I was thrilled he’d ask me to watch a movie because it showed he didn’t think I was different to anyone else. He didn’t assume anything about me."
A year after their first date the couple got married - and Heather soon fell pregnant.
She recalled: "We were over the moon but deep down I had some worries about whether I’d be able to be a good mum without my sight.
"Would I be able to change nappies properly? Then I remembered how well Mum had managed with my three siblings and me. If she could do it, so could I."
As Heather was the only blind child in her family, she and Garry didn't know how likely it was that their baby would inherit cataracts.
But while they hoped their child would be fit and healthy, they never saw blindness as a devastating condition.
Heather said: "I’ve had a happy life, being blind hasn’t stopped me."
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When their little boy Kurt, now 20, was born the proud parents were elated when doctors told them his eyes were fine.
Speaking about her first experience of being a blind mum, Heather recalled: "Romper suits were a bit of a challenge.
"Sometimes it was hard to tell which part was for the arms and which part was for the legs – but I always got there in the end.
"I also got the hang of nappies. I couldn’t push a pram in front of me so I carried Kurt while I used a guide dog.
"By the time Kurt started crawling, I’d come up with a plan to make sure I knew exactly where he was.
"I dressed him with rattling bracelets and put bells on his socks. There was always a way to do what I needed."
The couple adored being parents and were keen to have more children.
Sebastian, now 19, was born 19 months later.
He did have cataracts, but Heather and Garry said they were confident it wouldn’t hold him back.
When he was three, Sebastian had surgery to allow him to see colours and shades very close up.
It was a success, so Heather decided to have the procedure done soon after.
She recalled: "While I was still legally blind, I was amazed by the improvement. Being able to tell the colours of baby clothes was wonderful!"
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is an eye condition where the optic nerve, which connects your eye to your brain, becomes damaged. It can lead to loss of vision if not detected and treated early on.
It usually occurs when the fluid in the eye cannot drain properly, which increases the pressure inside the eye and puts pressure on the optic nerve.
Glaucoma is a common condition, but many people won't realise they have it because it doesn't always cause symptoms in the early stages.
It can affect people of all ages, including babies and young children, but is most common in adults in their 70s and 80s.
Glaucoma doesn't usually have any symptoms to begin with and is often only picked up during a routine eye test.
Many people don't realise they have it because it develops slowly over many years and tends to cause a loss of peripheral vision (the edge of your vision) at first.
Both eyes are usually affected, although it may be worse in one eye. Without treatment, it can eventually lead to blindness.
Visit an opticians or your GP if you have any concerns about your vision.
Information provided by NHS Choices.
The boys were followed by Jacqueline, 16, and Kirima, 13. Then came twins Lance and Quillan, 11, who are blind too.
Heather and Garry didn't stop there, adding Quintessa, eight, Jacinta, five, who is blind, and Arnold, four, to their brood.
They then welcomed their final addition, Myfawny.
Heather said: "She has a lively little personality and the older kids adore her."
Myfawny was born with congenital cataracts, meaning the lenses in her eyes were covered in a cloudy film.
Doctors performed a procedure to remove the cataracts when she was six weeks old, but her vision was still very limited.
At 14 months she was given a special pair of pink glasses which enabled her to be able to see light and colour for about 30cm in front of her for the first time ever.
Heather recalled: "It was a magical moment."
As a stay-at-home mum-of-10, Heather told how organisation is vital.
She explained: "Each family member wears a different type of sock, so I can tell whose is whose from the shade, style or texture.
"I do four loads of laundry a day, and it can take time to work out who a T-shirt belongs to, so sometimes we colour-code those too.
"I make all the sandwiches for the week on a Monday and freeze them. And I bake big batches of muffins.
"The children help wash dishes after dinner and bath the smaller ones. Like any siblings, they have the odd squabble but never fight.
Heather walks to the supermarket several times each week for the family’s groceries
These are some of the items that are usually on her shopping list...
✔ 10 loaves of bread
✔ 35 litres of milk
✔ three bunches of bananas
✔ 80 apples
✔ two kilos of flour
✔ 24 eggs and 24 sausages
✔ two kilos of meat, plus some lamb and steak
✔ 20 rolls of toilet paper
"Our family is close, and includes my guide dog, Narjee, and our retired dog, Hero.
"Garry is a personal trainer but living on one wage means we need to make sacrifices to pay the mortgage and bills.
"We don’t have a car or take any holidays, but we always go on fun day trips together."
While some people might baulk at the idea of having 10 kids, Heather said she loves every moment.
She added: "I’ve even started thinking about baby number 11. What can I say, I was born to be a mum!"
What causes childhood cataracts?
Cataracts occur when changes in the lens of the eye cause it to become less transparent (clear). This results in cloudy or misty vision.
The lens is the transparent structure located just behind the pupil (the black circle in the centre of the eye). It allows light to pass through to the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye (retina).
Cataracts most commonly affect older adults (age-related cataracts), but some babies are born with cataracts and children can also develop them at a young age. These are known as childhood cataracts.
Childhood cataracts are often referred to as congenital cataracts – cataracts present when a baby is born or shortly afterwards - and developmental, infantile or juvenile cataracts, diagnosed in older babies or children.
Cataracts in babies and children are rare. It's estimated they affect between three and four in every 10,000 children in the UK.
In children, cataracts can affect one or both eyes. Cloudy patches in the lens can sometimes get bigger and more can develop, resulting in the child's vision becoming increasingly affected.
As well as poor vision, cataracts can also cause "wobbling eyes" and a squint (where the eyes point in different directions).
It's particularly important to spot cataracts in children quickly because early treatment can reduce the risk of long-term vision problems. Therefore, you should visit your GP or tell your health visitor if you have any concerns about your child's eyesight.
Information provided by NHS Choices.
Yesterday we told how a mum who gave up her high powered job to care for her autistic son with a related learning disability admitted to feeling ‘outcast from society’.