When Surfer’s Eye Is Actually Cancer

A week ago we got an email titled, “Story Pitch: Eye Cancer Misdiagnosed as Surfer’s Eye at 24.”

It was a heavy PSA not to take your health for granted. But let’s start from the top.

Erin Campbell is a 24-year-old from Valla Beach, a quaint coastal town on the mid-north coast of NSW — the same cabbage patch that raised Farmboys star and former World Junior Champ, Heath Joske. One thousand residents, everyone knows everyone type of deal.

“Dad was a mad surfer and a plumber, Mum was a nurse,” Erin told Stab. “So I’ve been surfing since I was a little girl. Always been in the sun, always been in the ocean. Whatever…”

A fairly traditional upbringing, with a few wildcards thrown in — like periodic stints living in Malawi, a landlocked East African country. Her mum, a senior midwife, ran education programs focused on childbirth and sexual health in rural communities. Meanwhile, her old boy was on the tools, building brick homes, teaching local men construction skills, and helping improve water quality through well-building projects in remote villages.

After finishing school, Erin worked as a lifeguard, social worker, and barista to save coin. Following a lap of Oz in a Cruiser (a millennial rite of passage) and a stint living in Bawley Point on the South Coast of NSW, she and her partner made plans to skip another brisk winter and build a surf camp in Indonesia. 

“We headed to Lombok, bought a traditional home and renovated it into three studios with a half pipe out front. We completed the build and got it up and running (the place is called Ripbowl),” she explained. 

But right as the business started humming, her left eyeball started playing up. 

“I figured it was just a pterygium, but the glare in the surf was becoming unbearable. The growth became more painful, and I started needing to wear sunnies, even when I was inside.”

Seeking professional advice, she visited a local doctor who quickly dismissed it as a classic case of ‘surfer’s eye’ – which afflicts about 10% of the general population in Australia, and probably about 80% of the people reading this article (surfers). 

“It just kept getting worse and worse – to a point where I couldn’t actually shut my eyes properly. Eventually we were like, ‘alright, let’s get out of here and get it looked at properly’.” 

Back in Oz, the ophthalmologist took one look at it and immediately referred her to a specialist, who ran more tests and a biopsy. 

That’s when the c-word was first mentioned… 

“It was so scary. I was freaking out. As soon as someone mentions the word cancer, you just automatically think the worst, that you’re going to die.”

It turns out what Erin had actually been suffering from was a Malignant Conjunctival Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC), a rare but serious eye cancer, which can be deadly if left untreated. 

“I was tripping. I was 24. And what I thought was something as harmless as surfer’s eye could’ve cost me my life if I left it longer.”

Erin was fast-tracked to Sydney Eye Hospital, put on chemo drops and steroids, and scheduled for surgery. And on January 16, 2025, they successfully removed the lesion, froze the area with cryotherapy, and stitched in a conjunctival graft from the back of her eyeball.

But not without some more planet earth brutality first. The anaesthetic didn’t knock her out. So she is able to recall, in perfect detail, every part of the operation, from being wheeled into theatre to the scalpel cutting into her cornea.

“I was blindfolded, mute, and awake — listening to tools, feeling everything, trying to wiggle my toes in vain just to let someone know. I could feel the pressure of the numbing needle, how they were rolling my eyeball to access the back of it. It was one of the most helpless moments of my life. All I could do was stay still and pray it’d pass.”

Six months post-op, Erin is back living in Valla and surfing again. Her eye is healed, but she’ll require regular check-ups every six months for the rest of her life. 

“I can’t really drink alcohol anymore, otherwise it flares up. And stress and prolonged sun exposure need to be really closely managed now,” she explains. “It’s definitely been a huge wake up call — that I’m not invincible and need to take care of myself.”

The surf camp is on the backburner for now. “We’ve rented the business out for the time being — no solid plans yet on what comes next.”

In the meantime: healing. And shining a bit of a light on the warning signs to watch for. 

“If this helps even one person get checked, it’s done its job.”

Here’s her medically-advised list of signs to watch out for:

• A red or white patch that doesn’t go away
• Thickening or growth on the white of the eye
• Ongoing irritation or discomfort
• Sensitivity to glare that gets worse over time

And some unsolicited eyeball-saving tips?

• Wear polarised, UV-blocking sunglasses — even on cloudy days
• Get regular checkups if you surf or spend time outdoors
• Don’t ignore recurring irritation — get a second opinion
• Listen to your gut. If something feels off, act on it

“I was just another girl in her 20s chasing waves and living the dream — until life gave me a wake-up call. I’ll never assume it’s “just surfer’s eye” again. Six months later, I’m back in the water: grateful, cautious, and far more aware. Your vision is worth protecting. So is your life.”