A Twinkle Restored: How Dr. Lyons Helped Santa Shine Again
Christmas is a very special time of year. Families flock to malls, stores, and events to give their children an opportunity to meet “Santa Claus.” These children share letters, hugs, and sometimes even tears with Santa. Becoming Santa is not as simple as putting on a red hat; the men that fill the velvet suits take great pride in truly becoming the character for children to have the best visit possible. John Williams is one of these dedicated actors who spends his winter spreading holiday cheer, but he began to have an issue.
Due to multiple ocular conditions, Mr. Williams lost vision in his left eye. Throughout his life, multiple treatments and surgeries were attempted to correct, restore, and stabilize his vision. Mr. Williams' vision continued to worsen despite these efforts. His left eye could no longer distinguish light and became severely scarred from procedures. Staying resilient, he carried on and learned to adapt to a new monocular lifestyle. However, an unforeseen consequence began to show in early winter. Children who came to meet “Santa” noticed he looked different than how movies and books describe. His typically excited and enamored guests became inquisitive and apprehensive.Santa Claus traditionally has two “blue eyes that twinkle,” but this Santa only has one.
Mr. Williams knew he needed a solution and began his research. The countless online resources available quickly overwhelm someone who is new to these conditions and often leads to more questions than answers. Mr. Williams' research directed him to Dr. Lyons, here at Focal Pointe Eye Care, an expert in the specialty contact lens field. Mr. Williams was confident this was a step in the right direction.
The first step towards specialty contact lenses is a consultation. Dr. Lyons led an in-depth conversation with Mr. Williams to answer his questions and discuss his ocular goals. After numerous tests and measurements, Dr. Lyons directed him to a painted soft prosthetic contact lens. This is no ordinary colored soft contact lens. These contact lenses are handcrafted by artisans using many photos of the other eye to make a perfect match. Fine details such as freckles, blood vessels, and pupil size cannot be overlooked to create the most lifelike appearance. It is completely custom, and cannot be premade or pre-ordered.
Mr. Williams made many trips to and from Focal Pointe Eye Care trying on samples received from the contact lens lab. Over the course of roughly three months, Dr. Lyons made adjustments to fine tune the fit and color of the lens until it was a perfect match. Finally, Mr. Williams was able to take home the contact lens that could restore his life.
Back at his local “North Pole,” Mr. Williams became Santa once again. He no longer faced children who were skeptical or scared of who they were meeting. The hand-painted prosthetic contact lens brings life back not to just John Williams, but also to every family he meets along the way.
If your vision cannot be saved, that does not mean all is lost. We are here to help. Millions of Americans lose vision each year from disease and injury and become confused about how to move forward. Custom prosthetic contact lenses are a small way to restore “normalcy” into a new life. Dr. Lyons and his team will walk with you every step of the way. Ready to see what results you can achieve? Schedule a consultation today.