Dominic, a 15-year-old boy, had always steered clear of dimly lit places due to his struggle with vision. From infancy, his grandmother, Linda McInnis, noticed his fascination with lights and his increasing difficulty navigating stairs. Dominic was born with a rare genetic eye disorder known as Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), a form of night blindness that affects only about one in every 50,000 individuals.
His impaired vision required visual aids for school, and he relied heavily on his grandmother for assistance. However, after undergoing two groundbreaking surgeries earlier in the year, his life took a remarkable turn. Dr. Wai Ching Lam, an Ophthalmologist at the Eye Care Centre at Vancouver General Hospital, explained that the surgeries involved injecting a gene vector into Dominic’s retina to restore his visual cycle. The results were astounding – Dominic’s vision began to improve rapidly.
Following the surgeries, Dominic experienced a newfound sense of independence and confidence. He was elated to be able to see clearly for the first time in his life. Not only could he navigate the world more freely, but he could also engage in activities he had never before imagined possible, such as riding an e-scooter and playing with his friends in any lighting conditions.
Dominic’s successful treatment marked a significant milestone, as he became the first indigenous person in Canada to undergo this revolutionary surgery. Dr. Lam hopes that Dominic’s story will inspire others facing similar challenges to seek help and realize that there are viable solutions available for vision impairments.