High-Risk Surgery Restores Sight
Donation protected
My name is Dazell Mallory. I recently had my eyesight miraculously restored after having poor vision since birth and becoming blind in my 30’s. Now, that I can drive again and see – my vision is 20/30 and 20/70 with glasses! – I desperately need financial support so I can buy a vehicle, pay for insurance and continue my search for a well-paying job to support myself. At age 47, my whole world is opening up, but I have found that not having my own transportation, among other things, extremely limits my options to pursue meaningful work.
I am very eager to get back into the workforce, and have many skills and abilities that I developed throughout my life, despite the challenges of not being able to see well and having been blind for nearly 10 years.
Pursuing my dreams:
In the past, my eyesight very often prevented me from sustaining full time work. When I was younger, I challenged myself to pursue my dream – a career as a paramedic. I graduated from Emergency Medical Technician school and began working as an EMT almost 2 years later. When I started to learn how to drive the ambulance, I got a dose of reality. I learned that I had no peripheral vision and that I couldn’t drive because of the high risk of getting into a serious accident. Thereafter, my life began to spiral downhill, despite having an associate’s degree and vocational certificate as a Social Security Disability Advocate.
Life-changing treatment:
In 2017 my whole life changed when I was referred to the UC Davis Eye Center. My treatment there has been nothing short of miraculous. I was born with pathological myopia, which is a very severe form of near-sightedness that also predisposed me as I grew older to the development of cataracts, which clouds the lens in the eye, further reducing vision. My cataracts became extremely thick, and all of the other doctors I had seen throughout my life considered my condition much too complicated and risky to correct with surgery. Dr. Casper who performed the surgery suggested that we remove the cataracts, but did warn me that the outcome of surgery was uncertain, that I could still be legally blind with a little bit better vision or that the surgery wouldn’t help at all.
I considered the options but decided to go for it. At my post-op exam, I went into the office with a white cane and left without needing it at all. Dr. Caspar was amazed. My vision was almost perfect. Tests also showed that my peripheral vision was normal. I was able to pass with no deficiencies! This had never happened before, and I am the first to come back from blindness of having a very rare eye condition where there is no cure. The doctor said I am a miracle patient as people with less severe but similar eye problems have not regained the level of vision I have obtained.
Rebuilding my life:
Last year, I was able to get my driver’s license, and I have been able to play tennis again -- a sport that I had excelled in as a teen but had to give up. Today I play five days a week, singles and doubles, at a local tennis club, which Dr. Caspar says will help to strengthen my eyes.
I am seeking contributions to help me start my life over again and finally allow me to get on my feet on the ground to reestablish my business and housing situation.
With out the help of donations I will be in a serious financial hardship of maintaining what little I have in maintaining my current living environment.
Media links;
https://health.ucdavis.edu/publish/news/contenthub/13350
https://fox40.com/2018/11/20/high-risk-surgery-restores-sacramento-mans-eyesight/
https://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/dazell-mallory-sight-restored-after/content?oid=27430323
https://www.rosevilletoday.com/news/sacramento/eyesight-restored-for-legally-blind-man/#
Thank you.
Dazell
I am very eager to get back into the workforce, and have many skills and abilities that I developed throughout my life, despite the challenges of not being able to see well and having been blind for nearly 10 years.
Pursuing my dreams:
In the past, my eyesight very often prevented me from sustaining full time work. When I was younger, I challenged myself to pursue my dream – a career as a paramedic. I graduated from Emergency Medical Technician school and began working as an EMT almost 2 years later. When I started to learn how to drive the ambulance, I got a dose of reality. I learned that I had no peripheral vision and that I couldn’t drive because of the high risk of getting into a serious accident. Thereafter, my life began to spiral downhill, despite having an associate’s degree and vocational certificate as a Social Security Disability Advocate.
Life-changing treatment:
In 2017 my whole life changed when I was referred to the UC Davis Eye Center. My treatment there has been nothing short of miraculous. I was born with pathological myopia, which is a very severe form of near-sightedness that also predisposed me as I grew older to the development of cataracts, which clouds the lens in the eye, further reducing vision. My cataracts became extremely thick, and all of the other doctors I had seen throughout my life considered my condition much too complicated and risky to correct with surgery. Dr. Casper who performed the surgery suggested that we remove the cataracts, but did warn me that the outcome of surgery was uncertain, that I could still be legally blind with a little bit better vision or that the surgery wouldn’t help at all.
I considered the options but decided to go for it. At my post-op exam, I went into the office with a white cane and left without needing it at all. Dr. Caspar was amazed. My vision was almost perfect. Tests also showed that my peripheral vision was normal. I was able to pass with no deficiencies! This had never happened before, and I am the first to come back from blindness of having a very rare eye condition where there is no cure. The doctor said I am a miracle patient as people with less severe but similar eye problems have not regained the level of vision I have obtained.
Rebuilding my life:
Last year, I was able to get my driver’s license, and I have been able to play tennis again -- a sport that I had excelled in as a teen but had to give up. Today I play five days a week, singles and doubles, at a local tennis club, which Dr. Caspar says will help to strengthen my eyes.
I am seeking contributions to help me start my life over again and finally allow me to get on my feet on the ground to reestablish my business and housing situation.
With out the help of donations I will be in a serious financial hardship of maintaining what little I have in maintaining my current living environment.
Media links;
https://health.ucdavis.edu/publish/news/contenthub/13350
https://fox40.com/2018/11/20/high-risk-surgery-restores-sacramento-mans-eyesight/
https://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/dazell-mallory-sight-restored-after/content?oid=27430323
https://www.rosevilletoday.com/news/sacramento/eyesight-restored-for-legally-blind-man/#
Thank you.
Dazell
Organizer
Dazell Mallory
Organizer
Sacramento, CA
