Coronation Street star Lisa George has recently shared insights into how her life has changed after enduring a major health challenge.
Last November, the actress, known for her role as Beth Tinker on the ITV soap, sustained an injury to her right eye, which resulted in partial blindness. Following intense pain across her forehead and blurred vision a week later, she was diagnosed with Non-arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAAION) — a condition that impacted her optic nerve.
On November 6, Lisa appeared on BBC Morning Live, speaking with Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones about how this health issue has reshaped her daily life and led to her decision to step away from Coronation Street. She revealed that this condition was a major factor in her choice to leave after nearly a decade playing Beth.
Reflecting on her adjustment to partial blindness, Lisa admitted she initially went through a period of depression.
She shared, “It really shocked me, and I felt quite down. I thought, ‘This is my reality now, partial blindness.’ But then I told myself, ‘I have to keep going; it’s the only choice.’”
She noted several adjustments she’s made to cope with her new reality: having her scripts and computer screen text enlarged and staying cautious of her surroundings to avoid tripping over obstacles, even familiar ones. “I bump into things in my own home and think, ‘Who put that cupboard there?’” she joked.
Initially, she wasn’t too concerned after the accident, as she only noticed a slight redness in her eye without any immediate sight loss.
Lisa explained, “I was helping my dad in the garden when he was trimming branches, and I tossed a rope back to him. It had a knot, and it accidentally hit me hard in the eye. It hurt, but I thought I was fine.”
However, after a week, more severe symptoms appeared. She started to experien
