Alyssa Tate

At the young age of 25, Alyssa has been through a lifetime of vision complications. She was 12 years old when she was diagnosed with keratoconus in both eyes and was told that her particular condition does not usually progress quickly.  But by the age of 16, she had lost total sight in her left eye and only a year later her right eye vision was quickly deteriorating. Alyssa is a bilateral cornea transplant recipient: received one transplant in her left eye in 2005 and one in her right eye in 2006.

Alyssa wrote to the parents of one her donors and has continued to stay in contact with them. They have shared in many experiences together such as Alyssa’s wedding, dinners and even vacations.  Her picture of the fox was taking during a skiing trip with the donor family.

In August 2010 Alyssa and her husband were involved in a 4-wheeler accident.  She suffered significant damage to her right eye and had to receive a prosthetic eye. “Although things have been difficult adjusting to only having vision out of one eye, I have not let it change my life!”