"The doctors have told us a number of times that her sight is gone and they are certain it will not return."
Jamie Ambers, the mother of Alanna Quinn Idris – who was severely injured in a vicious assault in Dublin in December – has provided an update on her daughter's condition, noting that Idris has lost the sight in her eye.
Five weeks on from the attack, 17-year-old Idris is still in recovery, with her injuries described as life-changing.
Posting on Idris'
official GoFundMe page – which has raised over €95,000 at the time of writing – Ambers explained that the situation is critical and that her daughter requires major reconstructive surgery.
"It feels like an eternity – I can't even explain it," Ambers began.
"It actually feels like we've been dealing with this for years now. Myself and her dad had made a decision a few weeks ago to keep the social media posts to a minimum and I decided to restrict my updates to close friends and family.
"In doing so I think it gave some people the impression that Alanna was doing great and was 'on the mend'. This is so far from the truth I can't even explain it.
"People keep asking, 'How is her eye, is it better?'. Her eye is not ever going to be better. As hopeful as I am for a miracle, the doctors have told us a number of times that her sight is gone and they are certain it will not return.
"Five weeks later she is still unable to open her eyelid and the consultant has said that it may be nerve damage and he cannot say if that will get any better."
Following an ultrasound scan last week, doctors are exploring the possibility that Idris' retina has become detached.
"She spent the best part of Monday and Tuesday in the emergency department of the Eye and Ear because she was in so much pain," said Ambers.
"She literally has no cheek bone and only half an eye socket. She will have 'a long surgery' with a hospital stay of three to four days but it will take at least a month to recover.
"She has to have bone taken from her hip to reconstruct her eye socket and then a plate inserted to replace what was once her cheekbone but it's now just an open hole," Ambers continued.
"She already has two scars on her face and this surgery will leave a scar from her temple area to her inner eye. They have said they will try to reduce the scarring by reopening one of the wounds already there."
Despite the ordeal, Ambers said she is "happy that things are moving in the right direction".
New arrests have been made this week in relation to the case.
On Thursday (3 February), a juvenile male was taken into custody.
A second male juvenile, previously arrested, was released on the same day.
"I would really like to ask people not to post names or pictures of these people on social media though because I do not want anything to have an effect on the charges or further charges," noted Ambers.
"I just want to say that I am thankful to all the Gardaí and the detectives that worked on and continue to work on getting some sort of justice for my girl.
"I hope that these arrests and charges show girls and women all over the country who are being abused, assaulted or murdered that the Gardaí are behind them and they are doing what needs to be done to bring these people to justice.
"We just need to pray now that the courts services don't let my daughter or these women or their families down," she concluded.
