Melbourne defender Steven May reveals fears when a fractured eye socket left him blind

When Steven May copped an accidental elbow to his eye during a game earlier this season, he couldn’t know the scary days that would follow.

Steven May suffered a fractured eye socket after a collision with Geelong’s Tom Hawkins Picture: Michael Klein

Star Melbourne defender Steven May has revealed he feared for his sight after a collision with Geelong star Tom Hawkins left him unable to see.

May suffered a fractured eye socket as well as a second concussion in five weeks after the incident in round 4 that resulted in the 29-year-old being sent to hospital.

He posted a picture to social media of the horrific aftermath, which included being unable to open his right eye.

“I did have a few worries about my vision because I couldn’t open my eye for a few days. That was a little bit scary,” May said on Monday.

“The doctors assured me I’d be fine. But just being able to open your eye is a huge relief. Having no vision is a little bit scary.

“It seems to be healing nicely now. It’s all back to perfect now.”

Hawkins apologised after the incident and then again twice more post-game after getting May’s phone number from Demons runner Shannon Byrnes.

“Tomahawk (Hawkins) is a really good man. He messaged me twice after the game. I knew it was an accident,” May said.

Melbourne defender Steven May’s fractured eye socket.

Surprisingly, May missed just one game and was back by round 6 and has helped the Demons take their season to 10 wins, top spot on the ladder and a likely finals berth.

But May, who hasn’t played in a final, said he wouldn’t dare think that far ahead as Melbourne prepared to take on premiership rivals Brisbane on Friday night.

May said he wasn’t prepared to declare Melbourne would be part of the post-season just yet.

“I’m very pessimistic, I’m always hoping we win and nervous we are going to lose. I play on the edge like that. I never get comfortable,” he said.

“I’ll never be comfortable until it’s the night before my first final. That’s a long way away. Anything can happen.

“There’s no way, given my career so far, I’ll be pencilling in any finals.”