When Martin Gordon went blind from glaucoma over five years ago, it meant his life had to change dramatically. However, he has not let his disability affect him and having just completed his LLB at NUI, Galway, now plans to go forward and qualify as a barrister.

Sligo native Martin had always been 'one of the lads', enjoying playing football and rugby and socialising with his pals. While he had glaucoma, it did not impact hugely on his routine, with only occasional hospital visits and check-ups. However, there had always been a risk that one day his sight would go completely and one night in 2002, during the summer before Martin was due to begin in Leaving Cert year, that is just what happened.

Having travelled to England for minor surgery and a check up, Martin went to bed that night as normal, not realising that it would be the last time he would see his surroundings. When he woke the following morning, his sight had completely deteriorated and he was blind. But rather than feeling scared or angry about his newfound situation, Martin decided to take a more philosophical approach.

"It was a big shock when I lost my sight, but it had always been a possibility. When it happened first, we weren't sure whether it was permanent or not, so we just focused on finding out what was wrong. I didn't really feel panicked or angry when I found out I wasn't going to get my sight back. I suppose I just looked at the big picture and figured 'this is the way it is going to be, so you may as well get on with it'. It was a big shock though and a lot of things had to change. It was a strange mix of emotions; you can't really put it into words."

With his optimistic mindset, Martin and his family immediately set about figuring out the next step. With his mobility severely compromised, Martin could no longer play the sports he loved and returning to school was going to be a major challenge. However, after talking to his secondary school, it was agreed that Martin would return to his class and carry on his studies as normally as possible.

"By the end of the summer, I was able to get around using a cane and really wanted to get back to school and do my Leaving Cert. The school and my friends were great, so I was able to do it without any major difficulty. After I finished secondary school, I knew I really wanted to go on to college but that was going to be a much bigger step. My parents were very anxious about me leaving home, but to their credit, they let me go. I wanted to get out on my own two feet and do my own thing as much as I could, so I decided to come to Galway to study for an Arts Degree. Once I got here, I had great support from the college and my new friends and I loved it."

After completing his degree, Martin decided that he wanted to pursue a career in law. He is currently completing his LLB at NUI, Galway and plans to go forward and qualify as a barrister in the future. But while Martin's blindness has not affected his education, he has had no choice but to give up the sporty hobbies he loved, which proved to be much tougher.