Every month or so, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) publishes an incredible patient success story that makes us proud to be apart of such a strong community of doctors dedicated to saving vision and improving lives. As a salute to all of the brave patients and their families who’ve overcome more than what anyone could imagine, here is a recap of their journeys and where they are in 2017.
Mom’s Intuition and a Ground-Breaking Treatment Save Boy’s Eye and His Life
“Never underestimate a mother’s intuition. Lisa Morris’ son Cooper was just 6 months old when she noticed his left eye looked unusual in photographs. There was a glint that gave him a slightly cat-eyed appearance. A week later, at his well-baby appointment she asked her family physician to take a closer look. He didn’t see anything concerning. Maybe it was nothing, but her intuition told her to remain on guard… Continue Reading
Contact Lens Infection Threatens Woman’s Vision And Her Wedding Day
“The day of Te’ LaVette’s wedding was busy, but not in the way she had planned. Te’ had a bad habit of sleeping in her contact lenses. She got away with it for some five years. But it caught up with her – on her wedding day. Within 24 hours, what started as an annoying pain in her left eye, progressed to blindness… Continue Reading
Eye Exam Saves Man’s Life
“Sometimes a medical eye exam can save a life. David Hibler, Sr., went to ophthalmologist Michael Feilmeier, MD, because he had trouble with his vision. Within minutes, he learned he could suffer a major stroke at any moment… Continue Reading
Sight-Threatening Injury Turns Teenager into Sports Eye Safety Advocate
“When 15-year-old Angellia Lilomaiava got poked in the eye as she went up for a two-foot shot during a basketball tournament, she fell to the court in excruciating pain. But as she made her way back to the bench, she had no idea she just sustained an NBA-level injury that would threaten her vision and take her out of the game she loved for nearly four months… Continue Reading
Timely Glaucoma Diagnosis Prevents Woman’s Blindness
“Christine Chapman knew she was at risk of developing glaucoma. Her mother lost much of her vision to the eye disease. When her own vision started to fail, she went into panic mode, and immediately called her health insurer. The wait to see an ophthalmologist — a physician who specializes in medical and surgical eye care — was an astounding six months. But she knew the type of glaucoma her mother suffered from could truly turn into a medical emergency… Continue Reading
Woman’s Vision Saved After Devastating Fireworks Injury
“Think only those who play carelessly with fireworks get injured? Meet Stacy Young. She was sitting more than 100 yards away from a firework display when she was struck in the head. Her skull was fractured in five places, she lost an eye, half her face was burned black, her hair, gone… Continue Reading
Routine Eye Exam Saves Teenager’s Life
“It was just a last-minute trip to the ophthalmologist for a quick prescription for contact lenses before he left town for a soccer tournament. But by day’s end, 15-year-old Nick Myers was in an ambulance on his way to the hospital for emergency treatment to save his life… Continue Reading
New York Woman Beats the Odds After a Violent Attack Results in Severe Eye Damage
“While most people don’t look forward to doing something as mundane as laundry, for Julissa Marquez of Brooklyn, New York, the ability to see shapes and colors of clothing is a satisfying feeling. It is a complete departure from a violent assault that left her blind… Continue Reading
Boy’s Vision Saved After Coat Hook Punctures Eye
“Outgoing, boisterous, and always on the move, Jackson Allen is a 5-year-old with a sunny disposition who loves making people laugh. One afternoon, an unimaginable accident nearly cost Jackson his sight, which could have changed the course of his life forever… Continue Reading
