Dr Angela Culveyhouse: A Night For Sight

I was fortunate enough to have been invited to the 60th Anniversary Gala for The Schepens Eye Research Institute this past week. Yes you heard me, eye research. It does not sound so glamorous, even a few of my friends raised an eyebrow. Eyes, vision... it is one of those things you do not think about until you have a problem. I used to think I'll worry about my vision later in life when it starts to go, haha. To me I thought this is something that only older people have to worry about, but not so much!

At one of the parties though I was speaking to a friend and she told me that her son lost his eyesight in 1 eye while in college after bunjee jumping. The force from the bunjee jumping tore his retina in his eye and he permanently lost his vision!!!! Can you imagine being in college, carefree then the next having lost your vision. I also have a dear friend that had to wear vision correcting glasses as a 5 years old to correct his vision and to keep from having to have surgery. The strength of the lenses in the glasses had to retrain the eye muscles so they would keep the eyes in the right location, amazing technology and that was almost 30 years ago!!! One girl my age told me that because her vision was so bad, that when she had her lasik surgery done she even saw color better and brighter. I was clearly put in my place by speaking to different people at this party.

I am in awe over the new research and advancements that are being made in this field. The Schepens Eye Research Institute was named after the famous Dr Charles Schepens who was a pioneer in retina and eye research. Here is the link to the website http://www.schepens.harvard.edu/

The guest of honor for the event was Monique Lhuillier and we were able to see a fashion show at The Breakers of her latest fashions. I also was able to meet her (and yes I kept my cool & did not cheese out)WOW! She really is amazing and just as beautiful as her clothes! And I admit I was a bit girly giggly that we were both in gold sequin dresses, apparantly I got the memo, heehee. Even though I was looking forward to the fashion show, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I learned that night and how my mind has changed to maybe start thinking about vision in a different way or earlier. Even though I don't have any eye problems now, I do think it's important for myself and EVERYONE to wear polarized sunglasses (especially in this strong Florida sun) as a preventative measure. Sunglass Hut here I come!

I guess eyesight is glamorous after all!

Dr A

Photos: Lucien Capehart Photography