Blind By Birth, This Tiny 3-Year-Old Sees The Light Of The Day For First Time Ever, Thanks To Modern Medicine

Dec 06, 2018 by apost team

The capabilities of modern medicine are nothing short of miraculous. Doctors can fix hearts, alter brains, and many other achievements that were almost impossible in the past generations.

Medical professionals can now save lives in ways that never existed before. Doctors can even save the life of an unborn baby before the parents even know something is wrong. Despite all these medical miracles, doctors have still had trouble treating the eyes.

The fragility and sensitivity of the eyes are what makes them difficult to operate on. However, in recent times, doctors have been able to perfect a revolutionary treatment that will allow the blind to see.

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This treatment was recently performed on a 3-year-old named McKinley Sovey out of Wisconsin.

McKinley was born with very poor eyesight. While she couldn't see well, she still had some of her vision. Her condition confused doctors until they finally discovered her problem-she had been born with a retinal disease.

When McKinley's family learned of her condition, they didn't lose hope. They knew that since she still had some of her vision, one day she might be able to see. Her condition is medically known as Leber congenital amaurosis. This disorder is described as one that negatively affects the retina, making it difficult for the eye to detect color and light properly.

While McKinley's parents took care to make their home safer for their daughter, they also enrolled her in a recently approved treatment.

This condition is quite rare as it affects two or three newborns out of 100,000, but it can lead to childhood blindness.

Due to the risks that this condition presents, it's important for doctors to catch it early. Thankfully, the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital recently rolled out their FDA-approved treatment. Through this therapy, doctors inject copies of the gene RPE65. This gene is responsible for creating the protein that allows the eyes' light receptors to work.

This treatment is complicated as the drug is made of multiple parts and the surgery itself is dependent on the injection being delivered to the correct tissues. This solution needs to reach the tissue under the retina.

The Soveys went into the treatment hoping that it would allow McKinley to keep whatever eyesight she still had. However, the truth would soon be revealed to both the parents and the medical team. After the first surgery, the Soveys didn't see a change. However, once the doctor performed the next surgery, McKinley's life would never be the same

As soon as she got back home, McKinley was a whole new child. She ran into the kitchen and pulled out her chair. Then she stood on it, trying to feel around for the coffee maker and toaster as if she could see that they were there!

Amazed by her progress, McKinley's parents even filmed her when she first saw her reflection. However, this moment isn't the one that the parents remember the most. When McKinley first looked at her parents, they instantly knew the treatment was working.

With a few checkups scheduled for the future, doctors are confident that McKinley will likely not need another surgery. Her parents are hopeful they will eventually retire McKinley's braille reader.

McKinley's parents are elated, pointing out that "this is kind of part of medical history." It definitely is! We're so happy this treatment changed McKinley's life. What do you think of the story? Send it to your friends and family and leave a comment below.