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I was diagnosed with Congenital Glaucoma at 2 months after my parents noticed I would cry when the sunlight hit my eyes.
At 3 months I had my first eye surgery and for the next 10 years surgeries and hospital visits were as normal as going to school. As I've grown into an adult I've come to terms with my eyesight problems and I'm thankful that after 23 years I've had only minor vision loss. I now work as a filmmaker in Victoria, having directed and shot a variety of Weddings, Business Videos & Music Videos. I remember being in operating theatres with my mother as a child and seeing her tear up while they put me under for surgeries on my eyes, now I get to watch her well up while watching content I've worked on play on television. Working as a filmmaker with Glaucoma has been a challenge, sometimes my eyes water up during a long day and sometimes I'm unsure if my shots are focused or not but I love the fact that my glaucoma hasn't stopped me from doing what I love, in fact, I can say that not knowing how my eyesight will be in the future has driven me to take every opportunity that I can and for that I'm actually grateful.
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I'm thankful that after 23 years I've had only minor vision loss. I now work as a filmmaker in Victoria, having directed and shot a variety of Weddings, Business Videos & Music Videos...Sebastian
Living in York Peninsula community two hour's drive from Adelaide and with no optometrist in her local community, Debra booked an appointment as soon as she could. That’s when she received her life changing diagnosis.
When Bette Smith’s cousin told her they had glaucoma in the family, she did what all Australians should be doing, she got her eyes checked.
My mother was diagnosed with glaucoma when she was about seventy, so I was closely monitored. When there were indicators that I could be following the same path, I was referred to a glaucoma specialist.