Twelve-year-old Chris is outgoing kid with a bubbly personality and many say he is a joy to be around. Like many pre-teens, Chris wanted to be able to go out and do what normal pre-teen boys do: play video games, go to the movies, and create talk about cute girls from across the room.
But Chris was born with optic nerve hypoplasia. It means he can only see things very close up, about 5 inches from his nose. He can’t see the blackboard at all or read the handouts in school.
With hypoplasia, the optic disc appears abnormally small, because not all the optic nerve axons have developed properly. The optic nerve, which is responsible for transmitting visual signals from the retina to the brain, has approximately 1.2 million nerve fibers in the average person. In those diagnosed with hypoplasia, however, there are noticeably fewer nerves.
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Like any great mother would do, Chris' mom, Marquita, researched methods and procedures to help rectify his sight. She found an amazing new technology called eSight electronic glasses. The demonstration was just incredible. Chris was so excited and for the first time, he could actually see.
But there was only one problem: they couldn't afford the $15,000 for the glasses Chris so desperately needed.
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So they went online and took to a crowdfunding site to seek donations.
Chris had learned Braille, because without the eSight glasses, he couldn't read normal size print at all. He lost a year because of the extra time it took him to learn Braille in grade one. His school tried to help by having some of his textbooks turned into Braille. But it takes two months’ lead time, so many things are not available when he needs them. Chris wants to learn and to do things like everyone else.
At the eSight demonstration, Chris was able to see a worksheet to do math problems. He was able to read a computer screen, because the glasses hook directly up to a computer and project the image in front of his eyes.
One of the best moments was when Chris was able to see his mom for the first time and said how pretty she was. The video itself went viral and had the whole nation talking about this "incredible son with his pretty mom."
As soon as the story started making it's way around the world, the donations started pouring in and we are happy to report that Marquita and Chris now have well over their $15,000 goal to get the eSight glasses!
Marquita was so overjoyed, she took to her crowdfunding page to express her thanks.
"You guys are nothing short of amazing!!! I can't express how all of your encouraging words, well wishes, and......support mean to us!! I never expected for this story to get so big, or for this page to help us raise this amount of money! Saying thank you just does not seem like it is enough! I want to send each of you personal thank you's! However, That may take me a while because of the enormous amount of people who have donated."
For those who would still like to donate, please click here.
For more on hypoplasia, and other eye diseases, click here.
