Independence woman regains sight after first-of-its-kind surgery in Missouri

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (KCTV) - An Independence woman, who doctors told would be partially blind for the rest of her life, is regaining her vision due to a relatively new implant approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Looking up and feeling the sun shining on your face is one of the simple joys in life, but Jennifer Sanders was deprived of that sensation for nearly 15 years.

“Someone that I cared about very much threw something at my face and it caused catastrophic damage,” Sanders explained.

The mom of two suffered an orbital globe rupture in her right eye in 2010. Ninety-five percent of Sanders’ iris was destroyed, half of her retina was detached and her eye lens had to be removed. She had no way of regulating how much light was getting into the back of her eye.

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“It was really awful,” she recalled. “When it first happened, I had no vision at all, not even shapes. I see you and I call it the hologram version over here, like two of everything.”

Doctors told Sanders she would never fully see again. It was devasting. Then last year she learned of a groundbreaking surgery.

Sanders found a doctor at University of Missouri Health Care who could implant a custom-made silicon artificial iris into her eye.

“My mouth dropped,” Sanders said. “This could change my life.”

Dr. James Landreneau conducted Sanders’ surgery in late September. It was the first of its kind in the state, according to VEO Opthalmics, the company that provided the prosthesis.

“There are complications that can occur, just like any surgery, but the safety profile of this implant is great,” Landreneau said.

Landreneau says Sanders’ case was challenging because she didn’t have supportive tissue, so it had to be sewn into her eye.

“This is immediately post-operative, right as we finished up surgery,” he added, pointing to an image of Sander’s improved iris. “You can tell there is a fixed pupil here with the artificial implant. She looks great.”

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It was a successful case that came at a cost. Sanders’ insurance covered the surgery itself, but she had to pay $9,000 out of pocket for the implant. Her provider called the procedure “cosmetic.” Landreneau, who’s already planning to perform the surgery on other patients in the state, disagrees.

“Because this is a newer technology, six years old, there’s a lot of lack of insurance backing for this, which in my opinion is inappropriate,” he said. “There is a ton of data to support why this surgery is beneficial for the patients viewing.”

One month post-surgery and Sanders told KCTV5 anchor Zac Summers she feels amazing, though those first few weeks weren’t as pleasant.

“It was pretty awful in the beginning,” she admitted. “[There was] a lot of light sensitivity, a lot of headaches while the iris adjusted.”

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Sanders’ vision has now started to come into focus. She’s seeing the world more clearly and even has a new sense of confidence.

“I’m making eye contact more,” she said with a smile. “I’m not afraid to look at people like I was before.”

A life-changing prosthesis, offering a different outlook on life.

It’ll likely be several more months before her Sanders’ eye completely heals. Her case is just one of over 1000 artificial iris cases in the U.S. since the device received FDA approval, according to VEO Ophthalmics.

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Ophthalmics

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