Marco Fu says he will not compete in any snooker event for the “coming months” after revealing he’s undergone eye surgery.

Marco Fu. Picture by Monique Limbos

The world number nine announced the news on his Facebook and Twitter pages and said he had been suffering retinal degeneration on his left eye. This is a condition which can cause loss of vision.

The 40-year-old said he has had vision problems throughout the season and has recently undergone laser surgery to rectify the problem. He has been advised by his doctor to rest up.

Fu, who has won three major ranking events and won prize money totalling more than £2.5m, has not set a date for his return to competitive snooker but said he will update fans as soon as possible.

On Facebook he wrote: “Since the beginning of the season, I have been having some problems with my left eye. I was told by the doctor that I’m suffering from retinal degeneration, laser surgery’s been done so no worries!

“The doctor recommends a rest to avoid retinal detachment. Therefore I will not take part in any competition for the coming months. I regret to tell you that no interviews will be taken for now and I shall arrange an online session to take questions in the near future. Thank you for your support! ”