School Raising Funds to Help Mom Get Eye Surgery
The 39-year-old Mother having three children is losing her vision because scar tissue is growing over the cornea in both eyes. The condition, called pterygium.
Educators in the Glendale Elementary School District had sought help for Maria Aguilar, the mother of three children at Smith Elementary School.
A teacher there had noticed problems with Aguilar's eyes during a parent-teacher conference. From there, they got the uninsured mother to a doctor, who diagnosed her with pterygium. The condition, often caused by overexposure to harmful solar rays, would have eventually left her legally blind.
The Valley residents donated more than $1,000 in two days to cover the cost.
Dr. Corey Hochman at Clear Vision Ophthalmology in Scottsdale agreed to perform the surgery for $990, which is less than a third of the usual cost. When donations came in so quickly, Hochman said he went ahead and scheduled the surgery for today.
Smith Principal Rick Alvarez said the outpouring of concern and donations overwhelmed him.
People donated $1,500 to Clear Vision and an additional $550 at the school. Alvarez is looking into how to handle the excess donations, including returning them or donating to other Clear Vision patients in need of eye surgeries.
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