The Loose Women star, Katie Piper, 40, had a planned operation on her left eye this week in a bid to stop her sight from disappearing completely.

Katie was attacked with sulphuric acid in 2008 when she was 24.

Her ex-boyfriend Daniel Lynch had ordered a friend to carry out the violent and horrific assault after stalking her.

Katie also cuddled up to her husband Richard while in hospital Credit: Instagram

She has bravely shared several photographs of her face after her surgery and explained that her eyelid has been temporarily stitched closed.

Katie, who is married to her husband Richard Sutton and a mum-of-two Katie, was horrifically attacked with sulphuric acid 15 years ago, says the surgery will help her deteriorating sight to heal.

Her surgeon has also worked on scar tissue on her right eye, which has caused her eyes to swell.

Tragically, she has felt it necessary to ask keyboard warriors not to ‘troll her’ as she opened up about her latest operation.

She explained on Instagram that her latest operation is called Tarsorrhaphy, and it came after her lifelong recovery went “backward”.

she said: “This is me! (For now). On Tuesday I had a planned operation, a Tarsorrhaphy to my left eye.

“Tarsorrhaphy is the joining of part or all of the upper and lower eyelids so as to partially or completely close the eye.

“Temporary tarsorrhaphies are used to help the cornea heal or to protect the cornea during a short period of exposure or disease.

“I’ve also had scar tissue operated on on my right eye, so that will also be slightly swollen.”

She continued: “I wanted to put this here for a few reasons: Firstly to educate that living with the kind of injuries I have means things will change throughout your life and sometimes things go backwards.

“There isn’t really an end point and part of this kind of recovery is acceptance of that.

“Secondly with a disfigurement surgical decisions have to be based around function, not aesthetics. In my case, I am trying to preserve the eye, avoid perforation and lose my eye completely.

“Also just because something is on view permanently it doesn’t give people the right to constantly comment on your appearance- you never know what’s going on in someone’s life.”

She went on to admit that she does “find it hard”.

“Also, if this helps anyone else…. yes I do sometimes find it hard,” she admitted.

“I’m okay with looking different to everyone else but operations can sometimes take me back to memories of how this all started and that’s hard mentally.

“I always think I’m incredibly lucky with this space here on IG. I feel like I have an intelligent, interesting, and kind following.

“So I know most of you will find this update useful and probably have had your own similar journeys of medical or mental health recoveries, but for the few that will send msgs or leave negative comments (I’ve heard them all before, nothing new) then this explanation/ education is for you,” Katie said.

She added: “I’m still the same person. I’ve just had a different path in life to most and that’s ok.

“For the most part, I live a fulfilling, privileged, and very happy life. For that, I’m extremely grateful. But as I recover I’m asking that you please don’t troll me.”

She finished by thanking her eye surgeon, Mr Joshi, for his and his team’s “care, compassion and skill” over the years.

The star has her own Katie Piper Foundation for burns sufferers and she has been inundated with well-wishes.

Luisa Zissman, her friend and former Apprentice star, however, told her: “This post made me sad you have to ask not to be trolled.

“This is the world we live in. 😢 all I see is a brave, fierce, strong woman ❤️ wishing you a smooth recovery my love xxx.”

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