New technology in China may help an Alberta man born with a rare vision impairment see more clearly and feel more independent.
Josh Freese, 38, of Airdrie has congenital nystagmus — a condition that makes his eyes move uncontrollably and gives him distorted vision.
“It’s an involuntary eye movement and it causes me to not be able to see very good. Not long distances or writing and for driving especially, lights and signs on the highway are a hard thing,” says Freese.
Freese says because of his condition, he can’t do what he wants to do as a father — which includes picking up his son from school or watching his kids play sports.
“He shows up, he always shows up for them,” says Freese’s girlfriend, Stephanie Dunn.
“But he doesn’t get to experience it. Like, I can say my daughter got a basket in basketball and he doesn’t get to experience it. He celebrates with us, but he doesn’t get to see it for himself,” she adds.
According to optometrist Dr. Theodore Buzea, the condition impacts on average six out of 10,000 people; depending on the demographics used for the study.
“It’s really tough, because I want him to see the world like the rest of us do,” says Dunn.
Freese met with a company in Texas last year and is now a candidate for a new surgical procedure in China that’s expected to be approved soon.
It’s a trip that will cost him at least $60,000 to make.
“That’s just the procedure, the hospital stay, (and) the implant itself. That’s doesn’t cover the cost of getting there or staying there,” says Freese.
“And I have to go twice. The first time is the operation and everything like that and we come home for a month and let everything heal and then we go back again to get everything turned on,” he says.
The family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help cover them cover as much of the cost as possible.
If the operation is successful, Josh already has his sights on getting his learner’s permit and shopping for a car.