OHSU Casey Eye Institute

Most viewed in the last 7 days from JAMA Ophthalmology: A13-year-old male individual was referred to the ocular oncology service for evaluation of an optic nerve mass in the left eye. https://ja.ma/3C4DaTV

Evidence of adverse events from the mobile Casey Outreach Program clinics eye screenings was not found in this study. https://ja.ma/3WIkGQa

We’re celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science! To honor this vital day, meet Dr. Renee Ryals, PhD, a pioneering scientist at OHSU Casey Eye Institute. Dr. Ryals' groundbreaking work, funded by the Foundation, is paving the way for advancements in blinding disease research and her dedication, innovation, and leadership are opening doors for future generations of women in science. Join us in celebrating Dr. Ryals and all the amazing women making a difference in science! Watch Dr. Ryals’ full Beacon Story and learn more about her important work on our website at: https://bit.ly/42Lame0 Video Description: Dr. Ryals walks through her laboratory at OHSU Casey Eye Institute and talks directly to the camera, discussing the work her and her team are doing for blinding diseases.

Lindsey never thought her life would change so dramatically in a single moment. It was a cold December morning when she woke up to an unfamiliar sensation—tears streaming down her right cheek. For someone with Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that left her eyes perpetually dry and occasional herpetic, this was an anomaly. Alarmed, she called her local eye clinic, where a doctor confirmed her worst fear. “You have a two-millimeter perforation in your cornea,” the doctor said gravely over the phone. “You need to rush to the hospital immediately, or you could lose your vision.” By nightfall, Lindsey and her father were navigating the icy mountain roads from Bend, Oregon to OHSU Casey Eye Institute in Portland. In the sterile, chaotic environment of the emergency room, her condition became more critical. The local attempts to glue her cornea had failed. Lindsey found herself placed in a repurposed closet—a space hastily set aside during the pandemic—waiting for her chance at a life-saving cornea transplant. “I felt ridiculous,” she later recounted. “Here I was, worried about my eye, while people were being rushed in with gunshot wounds. But I was terrified. I couldn’t see anything; it was all black. I thought I’d lose my vision forever.” The surgery was successful, though the recovery tested every ounce of her patience and resilience. Her eyelid was sewn shut for months; her cornea supported by over 140 microscopic stitches. Weekly visits to specialists, paired with her body’s resistance to standard medications, turned her healing process into an extended trial. Yet through it all, she discovered moments of levity. “I started wearing kids’ band-aids as eye patches,” Lindsey laughed. “Watermelons, dinosaurs—you name it. It made something awful just a little more fun.” Today, with vision better than she’d ever had in that eye, Lindsey reflects on the experience with profound gratitude. “I think about the donor family every day. Their loss gave me a second chance to see the world. It’s made me appreciate everything, even something as simple as a sunset in my backyard. Vision is such a gift.” Her story doesn’t end there. Lindsey has become a passionate advocate for organ, eye and tissue donation, even revising her own will to donate her body to science. “My grandfather was a donor, too. At the time, it felt so clinical, so cold. But now I understand the incredible impact it can have. It’s the most selfless gift you can give someone.” Today, Lindsey hikes Oregon’s trails with a new appreciation for the colors and light she once feared she’d lose forever. #RestoreSight #SeeTheGift #Gratitude #OHSU #CaseyEye OHSU Casey Eye Institute Donate Life America Eye Bank Association of America

?? Congratulations to the National Inventors Hall of Fame? Class of 2025! ?? Explore our website to learn more about this extraordinary group of creators, innovators and entrepreneurs. #Innovation #ClassOf2025 #HallOfFame https://bit.ly/2H9x0Si