Life Changing Stories of Real People
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 Born Without Irises, Young Boy Finds new Hope!
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Born Without Irises, Young Boy Finds New Hope.
FDA approval for “compassionate use” allows artificial iris implants
Aniridia refers to a condition in which a person is born without irises. Michael Cruz was only five weeks old when a close family member noticed that his eyes were wandering and unfocused. His parents took their baby son to the family pediatrician who examined Michael and told them that their child had no irises and would need to be seen by a specialist. Unfortunately, the specialist lacked a good “bedside manner” and they learned little about the condition. They do remember clearly the dark moment when they were told that their young son was legally blind and would be “handicapped” for the rest of his life.
Then life took a dramatic turn for the better. Four months after the diagnosis, they discovered the Lighthouse Foundation, a unique agency that provides early intervention services for individuals with vision loss. Michael was walking by the time he was one year old, thanks to them. He also attended preschool and made quick gains. Michael loved it so much, and was so determined to succeed, that his parents joked that they wished to have as much influence with him as did his teachers!
But even more good was to come to the Cruz family when they learned about an Indianapolis ophthalmologist, Dr. Francis Price, Jr., who had performed artificial iris implants as part of an FDA study of the devices. Michael was almost six years old by that time and would become the youngest child ever to receive an iris implant when the FDA granted approval for “compassionate use.” The family eagerly drove 15 hours to Indianapolis so that Michael could have the surgery.
“The surgery went smoothly and Michael’s improvement was immediate. He was so excited by seeing the world without blurriness for
the first time in his life, and it touched us.”
Two years later, Dr. Price performed a second implant surgery on Michael’s other eye, and his parents were finally able to envision a “normal life” for him. His mom, Linda, describes their hopes, “Michael likes cars, just like his Dad, and maybe there will be a chance for him to get a driver’s license. He really wants to drive and we remember how that first doctor had told us to forget about it. He said Mike would never be able to drive a car. But we have hope now. We understand that another aniridia patient, a woman named Trish (Zorn) Hudson, has gotten her license and that is such encouraging news.”
Michael’s father, Ray, has since written to Oprah to suggest that she invite Dr. Price on her national afternoon program. As he explained, “It would make a wonderful story to show people the kind of work he is doing to help so many people like us. He has made a huge difference in our lives.”
Note: Since 1905, Lighthouse International (www.lighthouse.org) has been the leader worldwide in helping people who are blind or partially sighted overcome the challenges of vision loss. Dedicated to preventing the disabling effects of uncorrectable vision loss from conditions such as macular degeneration, diabetes-related eye disease, cataracts and glaucoma, their work enables people of all ages who are visually impaired to remain independent, active and productive.
Trischa Hudson - "Amazing New Development"
Trischa received two artificial iris implants in an FDA Study which significantly improved her sight. Before surgery, Trish could only see objects that were three feet in front of her or closer. Since the procedures, her vision has improved to 20/150. Although not perfect, this is a significant improvement over her vision before either procedure. Dr. Price performed both of her surgeries. Dr. Price is the North American Medical Monitor for the FDA study for the artificial iris implant, and President of the Cornea Research Foundation of America. Hudson is currently studying law at Indiana University. To learn more about her new life and new vision, click here.
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Trischa Hudson is a paralympic athlete competing in swimming. Born with aniridia, the absence of an iris, Hudson was legally blind. She also happens to be the most decorated Paralympian in the history of the games, winning 54 medals, 41 of them gold. She was also a 4-time All-American at the University of Nebraska and she was the first visually impaired athlete to earn a Division 1 scholarship.
The Surgery:
A patient without an iris has no way to naturally control the light entering the eye. It would be similar to coming out of a movie theater and being blinded by the sunlight. Dr. Price inserted an artificial iris with a lens into Trischa’s eye. Artificial irises come in a variety of colors as shown in the image to the right. The light entering her eye is now controlled, and the lens helps her to focus. The change in her appearance is remarkable. Trischa’s right eye now has a much more natural appearance.
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Trischa's Story in Her Own Words:
Being able to live an active, fully productive and independent life became a reality for me last year. From the time I was six months old, I suffered with a rare condition in both eyes called aniridia, a term that refers to an incomplete formation of the iris. A dysfunctional gene that prematurely stops the eye from developing causes the condition. To get a sense of what it’s like, imagine how it feels when you’ve left a movie theatre after a few hours of sitting in the dark and then stepped into bright sunlight. It makes your eyes tear up and causes you to squint until your eyes adjust to the light. With aniridia, my eyes could not reduce the glare from any source of light and I was unable to see objects further than a few feet away from me. Without irises, I was unable to distinguish colors. Most significantly, my eyes did not have a natural appearance.
For many years, there were no remedies to restore my eyesight and my vision was progressively getting worse over time. That all changed dramatically when I happened to see a news segment with Dr. Price discussing a new FDA study involving a synthetic iris implant that could reduce the amount of light entering the eyes. The next day, I took a risk and called Dr. Price to inquire about the possibility of being a candidate for the study. Within a few months of this initial consultation, I had undergone a transformation from having no color in either eye to having a natural green iris implant placed in one eye. Three months later I had an artificial iris of the same color placed in the other eye.
Although the procedure effectively reduced the area of exposed pupil, the whole experience has been an “eye opener” for me. Now I can see objects with a crisp, clear vision and the colors of my world are vibrant and alive! For the first time in my life, my eyes have a natural appearance.
Being part of this amazing medical breakthrough, made possible by the Cornea Research Foundation of America, has been an inspiring, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Being provided with the gift of better sight, and having the benefits of sight that I did not have before, have been well worth the wait.
When I was asked to join the Board of Directors of the Foundation, I felt truly honored and did not have to think twice about answering with an enthusiastic “yes.” I am deeply grateful to be a part of an organization to help change peoples’ daily lives. It’s a very exciting and energizing mission to support and I know personally what a difference we are making.
A Gift with No Comparison
I have been swimming for over twenty years at the Elite level of competition. Swimming competitively has brought some exciting events into my life such as winning gold medals and setting world records. However, no gold medal or record could ever compare to the feelings I experience now on a daily basis with my artificial irises. Thanks to Dr. Price and the Cornea Research Foundation, this innovative surgery has allowed me to become a more productive and independent person. I enjoy sharing my story with others and hope that it will educate, encourage and inspire others to explore the gifts of sight that are now possible for those with impaired vision.
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