Ryan Searle has built his darts career on defying expectations. From working as a window cleaner to reaching the latter stages of the PDC World Darts Championship, the 38-year-old Englishman has repeatedly overcome obstacles. But none has been more challenging than the rare eye condition he has lived with for most of his life.
As Searle prepared to face defending world champion Luke Littler in the World Championship semi-finals, attention turned not only to his form on the oche but also to the condition that has shaped his journey: Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy (ADOA).
Searle’s Remarkable World Championship Run
Searle arrived in the semi-finals in the best form of his World Championship career. He reached the quarter-finals without dropping a single set, before defeating world number five Jonny Clayton on New Year’s Day to secure his place in the last four.
His reward was a daunting matchup against 18-year-old sensation Luke Littler, one of the most dominant figures in modern darts. While Searle entered the contest as the underdog, his career has been defined by resilience and perseverance.
Living With Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy
Searle lives with Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy, a rare genetic eye condition that causes the optic nerve to gradually deteriorate, leading to progressive and irreversible vision loss.
“It was only in the last 18 months that I realised what the diagnosis was,” Searle explained.
“It’s been bad for as long as I can remember. There’s no cure for what I’ve got, so I’m stuck with it.”
On particularly difficult days, Searle struggles to see where his darts land on the board and must rely on the scorer to tell him his total.
“Sometimes on stage I’m asking the caller what I’ve scored, and it puts me in a difficult position,” he said.
“I wear contact lenses now to try and take a bit of the blurriness away, but it doesn’t fix everything.”
Despite these challenges, Searle has carved out a successful professional career at the highest level of the sport.
Using His Platform to Inspire Others
Rather than allowing the condition to define him, Searle hopes his story can inspire others living with visual impairments to pursue darts and other sports.
“If I can inspire people that maybe can’t see as well to pick up the game, then it means a lot to me,” he said.
Searle has raised more than £10,000 for the Cure ADOA Foundation, using his profile at the World Championship to increase awareness. He has also asked fellow professionals to donate signed shirts, which are raffled to raise additional funds.
His motivation is deeply personal.
A Family Condition With No Cure
ADOA is a hereditary condition, and Searle has passed it on to both of his children. While his son is less severely affected, his daughter is registered as visually impaired.
“When it gets to about six feet, she can see, but after that her vision gets really bad,” Searle said.
“My hope is that one day there might be a cure so she can do things like drive a car when she’s older.”
For Searle, raising awareness is about more than his own career—it is about helping future generations and funding research into a condition that currently has no medical treatment.
Contrast With Littler’s Own Eye Surgery
Interestingly, Searle’s semi-final opponent Luke Littler has also spoken openly about eyesight issues. The teenager revealed earlier in the tournament that he underwent surgery as a child to correct strabismus, a condition where the eyes do not align properly.
Littler was treated at Warrington Hospital, and the procedure successfully corrected the issue, allowing him to compete without ongoing visual impairment.
Who Is Ryan Searle?
Nicknamed “Heavy Metal”, Ryan Searle has been a PDC Tour Card holder since 2016 and has won seven Players Championship events, including two in 2025. His nickname comes from both his love of heavy metal music and his use of 32-gram darts, among the heaviest on the professional circuit.
Before turning professional, Searle worked as a window cleaner and competed in the British Darts Organisation (BDO) between 2011 and 2016.
His best previous runs at the World Darts Championship saw him reach the fourth round in 2021 and 2022, making his 2026 semi-final appearance a career milestone.
What Is Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy?
Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy (ADOA) is a rare genetic eye disorder that affects the optic nerve and causes gradual vision loss in both eyes.
Key facts about ADOA:
- It causes blurred vision and difficulty recognising colours
- Symptoms often begin in early childhood
- Vision loss is progressive and irreversible
- There is currently no cure or treatment to stop its progression
A more severe form, known as ADOA-plus, can also lead to hearing loss, muscle weakness, stiffness, and mobility issues. While glasses or contact lenses can improve quality of life, they cannot prevent further deterioration.
Semi-Final Schedule
- Luke Littler vs Ryan Searle
- Gian van Veen vs Gary Anderson
The semi-finals are best of 11 sets and will be played on 2 January from 19:30 GMT.
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