Nikki’s latest health crisis is over on The Young and the Restless. The Newman matriarch regained her eyesight after being temporarily blind. Although it’s a joyful time for Nikki, her storyline is being met with criticism.
Key Takeaways
- Nikki underwent surgery to remove a mass on her optic nerve.
- The surgery left Nikki blind and wondering if she’d ever regain her eyesight.
- In a special standalone episode, Nikki’s eyesight returned.
Nikki’s Struggle With Being Blind
It’s been a month since Nikki’s (Melody Thomas Scott) surgery to remove a mass on her optic nerve. The mass was causing Nikki to have painful headaches and slowly lose her vision. Although the surgery was lifesaving, there was also the risk of Nikki losing her eyesight.
Following the surgery, Nikki had to adjust to being blind and relying on Victor (Eric Braeden) and her family for support. During her follow-up visit with the doctor, Nikki had her bandages removed. Nikki held out hope her eyesight had returned, but the doctor’s visit left her feeling devastated.
Nikki struggled with the fact that her blindness might be permanent. But less than a week later, Nikki got the miracle she was hoping for. On the July 28th episode, Nikki regained her eyesight, leading to a joyous embrace for her and Victor.
Nikki’s storyline was already criticized before it even began. But her suddenly getting her eyesight back proved the show missed the mark with her latest crisis.
Nikki’s Loss Was More Than Just Her Eyesight
Y&R had a chance to tell a poignant story with Nikki’s blindness. The Newman matriarch is known to be independent and the one always there to support others. But with her blindness, Nikki was forced to lean on her kids, Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and Nick (Joshua Morrow), for help.
Nikki felt helpless, having to rely on her family, and felt she was keeping them from living their lives. Although Victoria and Nick were there for their mom, Nikki tried to regain some of her independence by shrugging off their assistance.
Yet, Nikki trying to do things on her own, which proved to be difficult. As seen in her nightmare, Nikki felt alone and frightened when she thought there was an intruder in the house.
Although she was helpless, Nikki did her best to protect herself from the mystery person. At one point, Nikki vowed she wouldn’t live in fear and wouldn’t let darkness define her.
Nikki’s dream and standalone episode could’ve served as a catalyst for her to find her strength while blind. Having Nikki gain confidence as she adapted to her new life and slowly regained her eyesight would’ve made for a much more emotional and powerful story. Instead, the show took the other route and gave Nikki a quick recovery.
