Advancing Sight Network ships corneal tissue to 49 states and 56 countries so people can receive sight-saving corneal transplants. Delta cargo agent Lorenzo Dent makes sure the eye tissue makes it to the right place. He knows exactly how important it is to the person awaiting surgery.
“I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes,” he says. “During this time, the vision in my right eye was very blurry.”
Lorenzo’s other eye was already weak from glaucoma, and his doctors felt it was urgent to correct his vision as much as possible. “I couldn’t really see clearly at all,” Lorenzo says. “I couldn’t drive anymore. I had to use the assistant devices on my phone just to read a text.I had to use a magnifying glass at work.”
Lorenzo hated to be dependent on others, but his worsening vision left him no choice.
“I had to depend on everyone around me just to survive,” Lorenzo remembers. “During this time in my life, everything took 300% more effort to do simple things. It left me in a place of hopelessness.”
The doctors at Callahan Eye Hospital suggested a corneal transplant for Lorenzo’s right eye. The hope of seeing clearly was exciting to Lorenzo.
“The anticipation of seeing the smallest of things and the opportunity to enjoy some of the simple pleasures in life had me wanting it more and more each day,” he says.
After a successful transplant surgery, Lorenzo now has 20/20 vision in his right eye. “Life after surgery has been awesome,” he reports. “I’m able to drive and feel confident doing so. I am able to sit in the family room with my family and watch a movie.”
Family time and church have been especially meaningful to Lorenzo since his surgery. He is pastor for his congregation at Obed Edom Ministries in Adamsville, Alabama. With his improved vision, he is able to read the scriptures himself before he preaches.
He’s also having fun doing activities he missed out on.“I just went bowling for the first time in over a year, and I had a blast! I bowled a 257 in one of the games I played,” says Lorenzo.
The generosity of a cornea donor helped Lorenzo get his life back, so he encourages others to become donors. “My wife and I are both donors,” he says. “This, like other transplants, can save someone’s life.”
In addition to enjoying his family and his independence, Lorenzo is working hard at Delta to make sure corneal tissue shipments arrive on time.And since his own successful corneal transplant surgery, he no longer needs a magnifying glass to do it.
Advancing Sight Network is sincerely grateful to Delta for their partnership in restoring eyesight. Delta makes it possible for eye tissue to arrive safely and quickly for patients awaiting sight-saving surgeries.
Become an organ, eye and tissue donor when you renew your license, using the Health app on your iPhone, or visit advancingsight.org.
Restore sight to others by financially supporting Advancing Sight Network. Give online at advancingsight.org/give-financially.November is Eye Donation Month. Along with the Eye Bank Association of America, Advancing Sight Network is raising eye donation awareness, honoring donors and their families, and celebrating cornea recipients. #EyeDonationMonth @restoresight