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The Gift of Sight

My name is Hudson and I have a hereditary eye disorder that has caused me to gradually lose my peripheral vision.

A healthy pair of eyes has a 200-degree field of vision.  I am limited to less than three degrees.

I see things through a tunnel the size of a pinprick, which means any motion is difficult for me to bring into focus clearly.  Even the simplest of tasks are a challenge.

What little that I can see is immediately lost when a room goes dim because I also have desiccated corneas, macular edema, rod and cone dystrophy, chronic dry eyes, and secondary glaucoma* - just a few more obstacles that prevent me from ever regaining my sight.

Prior to losing my vision, I was an extremely active person.  I slowly watched the world, my active lifestyle, and my independence fade 10 years ago.

Surely there are arguments for both sides on what might be considered worse - to have been blind at birth and not know what it’s like to see at all, or to have once known what the world is like in full and brilliant color…but then watch it fade to black and white and slowly be reduced to the size of a pinhole.

I am not one to wallow and feel sorry for myself, nor do I want others to either.  The difficult decision to create a fundraising page came because I was recently given the opportunity to see once more.

My comprehensive ophthalmologist suggested I research a company called, "eSight."  I made an appointment to test their electronic eyewear knowing that these high-tech glasses do not work for everyone.  They either work or they don't, there is no in between.  I figured I had nothing to lose; I had to at least try.  So a month later and one hundred-plus miles of travel, I tested the glasses at their L.A. facility and within 15 seconds of putting them on, I could see!  I saw everything clearly - not only in 20/20, but also in color.

I was so overwhelmed. I saw everything and everyone vividly…and I cried.  I could see trees in the distance outside the window! I could READ an eye chart!

After ten years without sight, I will not take that moment for granted because so many people in the medical profession told me there was nothing out there that could restore my sight.  And yet during that short introductory demo, eSight gave me my vision back!!However, now I have another hurdle to overcome.  I did not have the $15,000 to purchase those glasses outright and for that reason I am reaching out for assistance and support.

As I mentioned before, asking for help makes me uncomfortable, but when I shared my experience with others, I was completely taken aback by how many people wanted to know how they could help.  This too, left me in tears.  So here I am with a fundraising page and a revised goal – to raise the money so that I may see again.

Together, with your help, I can achieve this.

Thank you for allowing me to share my story and my journey with you.  And, just in case you still can’t believe a pair of glasses could be so magical, go to www.esighteyewear.com/moments and check out the videos. See how they are changing the lives of so many people with low vision; that’s what I hope to achieve soon!

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*Desiccated corneas - holes in the cornea. Macular edema is the build-up of fluid in an area in the center of the retina. The macula is the part of the retina responsible for sharp, straight-ahead vision. Fluid buildup in the macula distorts vision. Rod-Cone Dystrophy - Loss of color vision and of visual acuity (due to loss of cone function) and is followed by nyctalopia (night blindness) and loss of peripheral visual fields (due to loss of rod function). Secondary glaucoma refers to any form of glaucoma that causes increased eye pressure, resulting in optic nerve damage and vision loss.
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Donations 

  • Pon Charuratna
    • $150 
    • 5 yrs
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Organizer

Hudson Mark
Organizer
Palm Springs, CA

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