@Zach X. Thanks for the awesome contest.
![[IMG]](https://i.imgur.com/0qK79HA.jpg)
This is my dad, with his cat Betty (she doesn't love being held, but don't worry, she's not as upset as she looks).
My dad is completely blind in his left eye, and his right eye is partially sewed closed, severely reducing his vision.
He was hit by a 18-wheel tractor trailer in 1982, leaving him in this condition. He has lived an incredibly resilient life since than. He lives alone, and gets by with the tiny amount of vision he has, along with help from his friends and family, when he'll take it. His eye is sewed closed to prevent infection, as he has no feeling in the eye, and cannot blink the lid.
I saw an article from the University of Michigan detailing a potential surgery that could help restore sensation in his right eye, allowing it to be opened. I reached out to them and set up an appointment, and a couple months ago he went to Michigan and received life-changing news. The new surgery is possibly not even necessary, as a new medication has shown promise in restoring the nerves that provide feeling in his eye. I'm specifically talking about the nerves that let you know when to blink, and let you know when there is something in your eye.
This new medicine is called Oxervate; it has a good possibility of restoring the feeling in my dad's eye, making it safe to have the eye re-open fully, instead of the small crack he currently has to live with. This will effectively turn the 5% vision he's been living with for 38 years into 40% vision (or almost full vision in one eye).
If the Oxervate doesn't work, than the new surgery corneal neurotization (replacing the dead nerve in the cornea with one from somewhere else in the body), will become an option.. but our hopes are high for the Oxervate.
At the beginning of July, he will have his eye reopened, to allow him to use the Oxervate eye drop. He will have to use drops and coverings constantly to avoid the risk of his eye becoming dried out and infected. As he uses the Oxervate eyedrop each day, he will know it is working, if he starts regaining feeling in his eye.
If the Oxervate does not work after several weeks, he will have to have the eye re-sutured, to make it more safe for him to go outside without risk. This will be the first time the sutures have ever been reversed, since the accident happened, which is exciting by itself. All of his doctors before now have told him it's not worth the risk of forgetting to tend to the eye, which is really easy when you have no sensation, so they haven't even reopened to for examination purposes.
He is taking the risk now because the doctors I found in Michigan reassured him that although the past advice from his doctors to keep it closed is valid, the risk is greatly reduced if the opening is done concurrently with a therapy to restore the nerves (the Oxervate, or potentially a surgery).
Either way, in July, my dad will regain some of his eye sight for the first time in 38 years.. Growing up, even when I was super young, I did everything I could to help him cope with his disability. I am so grateful that into adulthood, I'm able to help him potentially not have to live with the frustration and limits any longer.
I am honored to be able to share this excitement with the OnePlus community during this Father's day season.
Can't wait to see what other people post.
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