Losing Vision, Gaining Sight of a Miracle

A tragic turn of events brings Arlene Snider to blindness and back

Mark W. Johnson, M.D.

In the fall of 2010, following treatment for an ongoing medical condition, Arlene Snider of Grand Blanc, Michigan, developed a severe bloodstream infection that eventually spread to her eyes. Her vision continued to decline until she was blind in both eyes.

"I was completely traumatized when I lost my vision," says Ms. Snider. "Not being able to see anything at all changes your whole life. It was a rude awakening."

Fearful that she would live in a world of darkness for the rest of her days, Ms. Snider found her way to the Kellogg Eye Center, where she saw renowned retinal specialist Mark W. Johnson, M.D.

Ms. Snider's consultation was disheartening. Absent proper treatment for her eye condition over the course of several months, she had developed total retinal detachment in both eyes. "

Ms. Snider had one of the worst cases of retinal detachment I've ever encountered," says Dr. Johnson. "The infection had essentially eaten holes in her retinas. They were not only detached, but were bound by extensive scar tissue. Added to this, she had severe cataract in both eyes."

Dr. Johnson carefully weighed the next steps. "First, we had to determine whether we could repair the situation. There was a chance we would find a retina so severely damaged it would be impossible to re-attach," says Dr. Johnson. "And, even if we could re-attach the retina, there was no guarantee of useful vision afterward—because of longstanding detachment, scar tissue, and infection. Each of these factors alone would discourage you. Ms. Snider had all three."

Ms. Snider had severe retinal damage, but regained her vision after Dr. Johnson performed surgery.

Ms. Snider and Dr. Johnson spent many hours discussing her condition. "I told her there was little chance of restoring her vision to a level she could read or drive with, or recognize faces," says Dr. Johnson. "But, I was hopeful that, at least in one eye, we could provide enough vision for her to get around unaided."

In January 2011, with little to lose and much to gain, Ms. Snider went ahead with the first of two surgeries. "We spent eight hours working on the first eye," says Dr. Johnson. "We removed the cataract, vitreous [the gel-like substance inside the eye], and scar tissue covering the entire surface of the retina. We also put a scleral buckle on the eye to offset scar tissue. Then we treated each hole in the retina with a laser."

From there, Dr. Johnson filled his patient's eye with a gas bubble to temporarily hold the retina in place. As the bubble gradually dissolved, the best of all outcomes took place—the retina stayed attached and did not reform scar tissue. One month later, Ms. Snider underwent surgery on the second eye.

"I would put this outcome into the realm of miraculous recovery," says Dr. Johnson. "It's almost inexplicable how a retina could go through all this and still recover to this extent. Ms. Snider far exceeded my expectations."

Today, after four months of debilitating blindness, Ms. Snider can see again. She faces some limitations, but with the aid of contact lenses, is reading quite easily with one eye and using a magnifying lens to read with the other eye. "Thank goodness I can see anything at all," says Ms. Snider. "I wouldn't be in this position had I not met Dr. Johnson. It's just a miracle."