Riley's Vision: A Fun Eye for Graduation

In 2011, my daughter Riley, then 3 years old, lost her vision in her left eye due to a severe allergic reaction called Stevens Johnson Syndrome. Due to the scarring and damage to her mucsosal membranes, the eye couldn’t be salvaged and shrank over time. Riley also lost almost all of her eyelashes, and regularly tells me how much she “hates her eyes.” In 2023, she learned about Scleral Shells (prosthetic devices that fit over the malformed eye, making it appear “normal”). We immediately found an ocularist and she was fitted for her scleral shell. This day changed Riley’s life. The confidence she gained has been immeasurable and it has allowed her to live a more normal life. She still says she hates her eyes and won’t let me take photos, but she is starting to come out of her shell (no pun intended).

Riley would love to continue her prosthetic journey and get a “fun eye.” These eyes are often made with a heart or star as a pupil and can even be glittery and girly! The idea is to draw attention to the eye by choice and feel empowered. It is also an amazing opportunity to raise awareness, just like we leaned about them on TikTok from one eye creators!

Unfortunately, health insurance won’t cover a “fun” eye and we can’t even update the one she has for another 2 years! She is graduating high school in a month and I would love to give her the gift of a fun eye! If you can spare anything at all, it could help make my child’s confidence soar even more. Thank you!