Please Help Me Fix My Eyes

Hi there,

My name is Jonathan. Most people call me Jon. I'm a career musician, as well as a full-time university student currently completing a Bmus in Piano Performance at The Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. I also play drums for Seas Of Titan- and we kick so much ass!

I'm starting this GoFundMe because I have been diagnosed with the eye disease Keratoconus. This means that my corneas have weakened over time. and are bulging to form cones instead of smooth domes. This causes blurry and distorted vision- it's sort of like trying to look through a fishbowl.

In order to try and fix this, I need to have a series of treatments called Corneal Cross-linking (CXL). This is a fairly invasive procedure wherein the top layer of the cornea is removed to expose the collagen beneath. This layer is then exposed to Riboflavin drops before UVA light is used to mend/ strengthen the fibres of the cornea. The goal is to stop the progression of the disease. There is a small (though unlikely) chance this could reverse the condition, and there is an even smaller chance that it may not work at all. My first treatment will be on the 16th of February.

The recovery from this surgery is extremely painful. Each eye needs to be done separately. I'll also need to take at least a week off from study and work.

As with any surgery, there are risks involved, and though it is rare, there's a chance this treatment could fail, or worse, permanently damage my vision.

Cross-linking is very expensive, and it's only the beginning of the process. Medicare covers a portion, but it still costs over $1500 out-of-pocket per eye. I need to have each eye done separately, then there is a follow-up consultation to determine if the treatments worked, in which case I'll need to be fitted with hard contact lenses. Due to many variables, and being custom-made, the doctor couldn't give an estimate for the cost of lenses, but they're also very expensive.

If all else fails and the condition continues progressing, I would need to have a cornea transplant.

Your donations will help me to pay for the surgical treatments, follow-up consultations, lens fittings, doctor's fees, medications and associated costs.

I'll be honest with you, this isn't how I envisioned the year starting off. This is a big deal. I'm still in a bit of shock. I'm angry. I'm sad. I know I'm in good hands with an excellent doctor, and I know he'll do everything in his power to give me the best result, but I'm still quite scared. However, I'm also hopeful. I know I can overcome this, but I could really use some help.

With immense gratitude,

Jonathan