Surgeon who saved children’s sight surprised by patients, family and colleagues

Believing he was taking part in a video to raise awareness of Great Ormond Street Hospital's (GOSH) ophthalmology department, Professor Lloyd was instead greeted by almost 50 of his former and current patients, their families, colleagues and members of his own family, who had gathered at GOSH to celebrate his extraordinary career and thank him for decades of life‑changing care.

A specialist in congenital paediatric cataract surgery, Professor Lloyd has helped save the eyesight of hundreds of children over his 30 year career. Cataracts, the clouding of the eye’s lens, affect around three in every 10,000 babies and is the second most common cause of childhood blindness.

After training at GOSH and other hospitals, Professor Lloyd worked with colleagues to develop Manchester Royal Eye Hospital’s paediatric eye service into a major referral and teaching centre. He returned to GOSH 10 years ago, where he became specialty lead for ophthalmology.

Today, Professor Lloyd and the team at GOSH care for the largest number of babies, toddlers and children with congenital and acquired cataracts in the UK.

Following his surprise, Professor Lloyd said: “No-one achieves anything on their own. I have been so lucky to have worked over the years with fantastic, dedicated colleagues in both Manchester and GOSH. It has been a huge privilege for all of us to have been able to make a difference to the lives of children with eye problems - and their families.

“It’s been a tremendously rewarding job and I certainly didn’t expect (or need) a thank you like this - although it’s lovely for us all!”

A number of nominations were put forward for Professor Lloyd, including his colleague Joanne Randeree, head of optometry at GOSH.

As a part of her nomination, Joanne said: “Over the past 10 years Chris has brought the department together and increased morale as well as improving the service we provide to the children and families in need.

“Many patients have followed him from Manchester and are willing to travel for hours for an appointment with him. He not only saves their sight, but in some instances makes life-saving diagnoses. He sees the children as a whole, and not just a set of eyes.

“I am truly honoured to work with Professor Lloyd. I see him as a colleague, a mentor and a friend. He has made a difference to so many children’s lives and is renowned worldwide, yet he remains a humble northern lad and an avid sports fan.”

Families travelled from across the UK to surprise Professor Lloyd, and some even came from further afield. 8-year-old identical twins Nelson and Bradley and their family made the journey all the way from France.

Born with congenital bilateral cataracts, the twins were referred to GOSH where Professor Lloyd took on their care. He carried out identical, sight saving surgery on both boys and helped to diagnose an unknown underlying condition.

Their mum, Zoe, said: “Professor Lloyd is a very special person. It isn’t just a job to him – it means so much more. He saved Nelson and Bradley’s lives.”

So grateful for his care and dedication, Zoe and her partner, Jerome, later named their third child Louie Lloyd, in tribute to the doctor who made such a difference to their family.

Friends Solar and Erik truly stole the show during the surprise for Professor Lloyd.

The 3-year-olds who both had bilateral cataract surgeries when they were babies were the first to run up to Professor Lloyd and thank him with a big hug.

Erik’s mum, Ana, said: “Erik loves Professor Lloyd, and we are so happy to have him as his doctor. I was a complete wreck when I first went to Professor Lloyd, but he was so calm and then I knew Erik was in good hands.”

GOSH is home to the UK’s first dedicated ophthalmology department for children.

The team includes 35 highly skilled professionals, from fellows and clinical nurse specialists to genetic counsellors and administrative staff, all working together to support children, young people and their families from birth through to adulthood.

For the past five years, the team has been based in the UK’s first purpose-built facility for children with sight and hearing loss, the Sight and Sound Centre, supported by Premier Inn– one of GOSH Charity’s most long-standing partners. This state‑of‑the‑art centre features an eye imaging suite, on‑site dispensing opticians and a range of specialist testing facilities.

Outside, families can enjoy a sensory garden designed to be explored through sight, touch, smell and sound, alongside bespoke artworks specially commissioned to engage and inspire children with sensory loss.

Watch the surprise on BBC iPlayer from the 2‑minute mark.