Teenage darts sensation Luke Littler has shared a personal health revelation from his childhood, disclosing that he underwent significant surgery to correct a serious eye condition.
The Childhood Condition: Strabismus
The reigning world champion, now 18, suffered from strabismus as a young child. This condition, often called a squint or cross-eye, meant his eyes pointed in different directions. If left untreated, strabismus can lead to complications like blurred or double vision, or even a lazy eye.
Concerned about the potential long-term impact on their son's vision, Littler's parents, Anthony and Lisa, took him to Warrington Hospital for a corrective procedure. The surgery, which typically takes around an hour under general anaesthetic, is a common treatment for a condition affecting approximately one in 20 children in Britain.
"It Had To Be Done": Littler's Reflections
"I think it's called Bog Eye – when you've got one normal eye," Littler explained, recalling the diagnosis. He believes he was just four or five years old at the time of the operation. "I think that's the last time I was in that hospital. Obviously got it sorted. I don't have any memories of it now. But obviously it had to be done. And it got done."
The young athlete credits his parents for their decision. "My mum and dad wanted that sorted. When I was younger, I didn't really care. But now you look at it, obviously it was a good thing to get done."
Famous footage of Littler throwing darts in his nappy, which went viral when he first burst onto the scene, also showed the visible effects of the strabismus on his eyes. "Your eyes are really important," he stated. "There are pictures that me and my family put online (from that time). I was very tired at the time, obviously resting. But yeah, now we're all good."
Vision for Victory: Eyes on the Prize
Littler's eyesight is now crucial to his profession, where winning and losing can be determined by millimetres on the dartboard, with millions of pounds in prize money at stake. Despite this, the teenager admits he does not have regular annual eye tests.
"The last time I had one? Maybe when I was at the hospital," he said. "Not even with darts, obviously with any normal person, if you start to go blurry or something, then that's when you have to go to the doctors. So yeah, fingers crossed nothing happens."
He also took the opportunity to praise his local hospital. "It's my home-town hospital. They do an unbelievable job down there so I think it's really important to go and support them when I can."
Littler is back in action on Saturday night at Alexandra Palace as he begins his quest to defend his world title. His first hurdle is a match against Mensur Suljovic, with a victory needed to progress to the last 16 of the competition.
