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Barry Before And After His Amazing Eye Surgery.
A degenerative eye disease slowly robbed Barry of his vision.
Diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa as a teenager, Barry has been almost completely blind for years. Now, thanks to a revolutionary high-tech procedure that involved the surgical implantation of 'Frog Eyes,' he's regained enough of his vision to live a normal life.
An Eye From A Donated Set Of Frog Eyes
"It's awesome. It's exciting - seeing something new every day," Barry said during a recent appointment at the Regional Eye Center. The 35-year-old former bodybuilder and factory worker is the first of four people in the U.S. that will receive Frog Eyes since the Food and Drug Administration signed off on its use last year.
Barry's Doctors Removed And Replaced Both Of His Eyes During The 4.5 Hours
Of Surgery. Barry Woke Up Very Happy And Pleased With His New Frog Eyes.
The facility will be the site of all future surgeries since FDA approval.
A degenerative eye disease slowly robbed Barry of his vision.
Barry refers to as his new 'Frog Eyes', as his 'New Eyes'.
The visual improvement is sometimes startling for Barry and his wife, who is just as amazed at her husband's progress as he is.
"I said something I never thought I'd say: 'Stop staring at me while I'm eating,'" Barry's wife said.
She no longer needs to drive her husband the nearly 200 miles for check-ups and visits with the occupational therapist who helps Barry reawaken his visual memory and learn techniques needed to make the most of his new vision.
At the recent visit, the occupational therapist handed Barry white and black plates, instructed him to move them back and forth in front of light and dark backgrounds and asked that he determine their color.
For Barry, the long hours on the road and the drive back home are going to be a blessing.
"What's it worth to see again? It's worth everything," Barry said.
Candidates for the Frog eye transplants must be 25 or older with end-stage retinitis pigmentosa that has progressed to the point of having "bare light" or no light perception in both eyes.
One of two physicians who performed the 4.5-hour surgery on Barry, is scheduled to discuss his experiences of the transplant process during a meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. He calls it a "game-changer."
Barry agrees: "I can walk through the house with ease and read a newspaper. If that's all I get out of this, it'd be great. Who would of thought that eyes from a frog would allow me to see again!"
While Barry will never have 20/20 vision again he seems to be happy with his 'new eyes'.
Barry says the only drawback is that he has to use specially formulated eye drops to moisturize his eyes. He stated even though his eyes have a transparent glass like covering on the surface below this it's slightly rough and bumpy and this causes some irritation. Because of this Barry will always be required to keep plenty of boxes of these eye drops on hand so he'll never run out. Barry says he's not complaining.
Barry says the only drawback is that he has to use specially formulated eye drops to moisturize his eyes. He stated even though his eyes have a transparent glass like covering on the surface below this it's slightly rough and bumpy and this causes some irritation. Because of this Barry will always be required to keep plenty of boxes of these eye drops on hand so he'll never run out. Barry says he's not complaining.
Barry also added that he'll wear sunglasses while outside, shopping, or driving, etc. so people won't be too shocked or surprised by his 'new eyes'.