$10K Glasses Could Help Legally Blind North Texas Teen See
DENTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Imagine being able to see your whole life, then going blind. That's exactly what happened to one Denton teen, but now a pair of glasses could allow her to see again.
"I'm a huge reader," 16-year-old Shea Busby said. "I love reading."
Now, the only way she can read is by holding the book directly in front of her face. She has Stargardt disease.
It's rare condition estimated to affect about one in every 10,000 people.
It's caused part of Busby's retina to deteriorate. About a year and a half ago she became legally blind.
"I was scared and nervous and didn't know what was happening," Shea said. "It was the hardest.
Recently during a college visit Shea's friend, who is also legally blind, let her try on his eSight glasses. They have a high-speed, high-definition camera.
The camera captures what someone is looking at and then displays it in the glasses. The glasses allowed Shea to clearly read words off the University of Texas tower.
"The biggest deal was when she turned around and said I can see your face," Shea's mother, Sunny, said. "There's a lot that she misses because she can't see people's faces.I have six children. I can't imagine not being able to see my own child's face."
Sunny wants more than anything to buy eSight glasses for her daughter.
"It's $10,000 for the glasses." she said. "Undoubtedly, they're worth every penny"
However, money is tight. Sunny had to quit her teaching job to take care of her husband, a veteran who earned a Purple Heart, and special needs foster child.
"As much as we want to be able to provide this for our child $10,000 is a lot," Sunny said.
She's hoping people who hear about her daughter's story will be able to help her see clearly again. She's created a webpage to raise money for the glasses.