An appeal has been launched to help a 22-year-old man receive pioneering eye surgery on the other side of the world.

Lloyd Davies, of Saundersfoot, lost his eyesight after being diagnosed as suffering from Lebers Hereditary Optical Neuritis (LHON).

He now desperately needs surgery in the United States, which will cost £10,000.

Led by Professor John Guy, the gene therapy treatment is the first in the world that could potentially cure LHON.

The former Greenhill School pupil had aspirations of joining the Royal Navy to become a Navy diver and whilst he was waiting to complete the final parts of the admissions process, he enrolled onto the marine biology course at Swansea University.

Sadly, in November 2013, Lloyd’s world was turned upside down when he began to suffer from a slight blurring of vision in his left eye. After putting up with it for a short period, he decided to go for an appointment at his local ophthalmic optician, who immediately referred him to the ophthalmic department at his local hospital who began to run tests to discover the cause of his sight issues.

By Christmas of that year, Lloyd had lost all vision in his left eye - just a month after first noticing any problem at all. By January, he was given the devastating news that the cause of his sudden blindness was that he was suffering from LHON, and that usually the other eye would be affected within a matter of months.

This proved to be correct, as shortly after diagnosis, Lloyd started to lose the sight in his right eye. By August 2014, shortly after celebrating his 21st birthday, he was declared as being legally blind.

The condition has robbed the fun-loving, sports mad individual from doing all the things he enjoys and has prevented him from pursuing the career of his dreams.

But it is hoped that the treatment will restore Lloyd’s vision and help him to pursue his ambitions in life.

“When I was 20-years-old, I lost my sight to a genetic disease called LHON,” said Lloyd. “It took less than five months from having 20/20 vision to being registered as blind. Up until then, I had lived the life of any normal lad growing up my age, being able to drive, play rugby, scuba dive and travel like anyone else takes for granted.

“The summer before I lost my sight, I worked at a Summer Camp in New York as a wakeboard instructor - something I now can’t do as I don’t think a blind person would be too safe driving boats!

“After I got back from summer camp, I was in the process of joining the Royal Navy, something I now can’t accomplish.”

Lloyd continued: “Once I was registered blind, there were life choices taken away from me - one of the biggest being my ability to drive - something I took for granted until I had to rely on buses, taxis, trains and lifts from other people.

“Later in September 2014, I joined the RNC (Royal National College for the Blind) in Hereford where I studied as a personal trainer in year one and currently doing massage in my second year, where I am still learning how to live with such limited sight.

“Since this all happened, everyday tasks have become daunting and tricky. One of the things I now hate doing is going out for a meal, because even having to have the menu read out and chasing food around the plate becomes embarrassing.”

But Lloyd is quick to thank his family and friends who have supported him.

“As a result of the changes and difficulties that I’ve encountered, I have been lucky to have such amazingly supportive family and friends who have helped keep my hopes up for future treatment and this opportunity to go to America for the trial is not one that I can afford to miss.

“The gene therapy treatment being trialled in the States is the first in the world to potentially cure my condition.”

But it’s not just Lloyd who has been affected.

“My younger brother has the same gene mutation and has a 50/50 chance of going blind too,” added Lloyd.

“Other members of my family also have the chance of being affected.

“As a result of this opportunity coming along, I will have to travel to and stay in America, with someone coming with me, and live there for three-four months whilst the trial is being carried out.

“I need to raise funds as quickly as possible as the trial is expected to start in the next few months.”

The appeal has been set-up via the ‘Light for Lloyd’ fundraising GOFUND ME page online, https://www.gofundme.com/e8pte9xm

Alternatively, you can search online for ‘Light for Lloyd’ and follow the links to donate, or go to social media site Facebook and search ‘Light for Lloyd.’