Alma Drake is a musician and a sound healer and spends a lot of their time listening with their eyes closed.
But when they did open their eyes, they struggled to read, recognize people, and drive, especially at night.
“Sometimes when driving, if I couldn’t see something clearly, my mind would invent stuff to explain the shape I saw and some of that could be pretty distracting” Drake says. “Part of my issue was how long it took for my eyes to focus on things, sometimes half a minute or more to read a street or road sign, even during daylight hours, and usually it was gone before I could even read it.”
Dealing with email and doing anything on the computer also was challenging, Drake says.
“There were getting to be blotchy spots in my vision that would greatly obscure whatever I was trying to focus on,” Drake says. “I’ve been a writer for much of my life, so that was extremely frustrating.”
Drake was diagnosed with Fuchs Dystrophy, a genetic disorder that affects the endothelial layer of the cornea.
After Drake received corneal transplants in both eyes, their life changed.
“Colors seemed almost overwhelmingly brilliant,” Drake says. “I could see details I had missed for years.”
Drake also says they found joy in reading and writing again and once more can drive at night.
“I’m a musician, and we do a lot of work at night. Not having to round up a driver was great, especially for rehearsals.”
Drake says they feel safer now when they are out because they are more alert and observant, which also makes them feel more confident.
“I’ve also noticed detail work, like sewing, mending, knitting, all of that is much easier now,” Drake says.
Drake now has experienced both sides of cornea donation; their father was a cornea donor after passing away in the 1990s.
“Knowing he lived on in someone else was a huge comfort and satisfaction to me,” Drake says.