A little boy from Northeast Wisconsin is about to take a cross country trip for a medical procedure that will hopefully restore his eye-sight. Mason Mattes has Keratoconus.. a rare condition that distorts vision and leads to blindness.
Mason Mattes looks like your average and active 11 year old boy. "I like exercise, I like to play sports" says Mason Mattes.
But sometimes looks can be deceiving."Basically he is almost blind in one eye, in his right eye he can see about the big "e" on the charts and he can see colors and shapes and that's about it" says Kris Mattes.
Mason’s eye issues became a concern when he took a school eye test.
"So we brought him into a specialist to an Ophthalmologist and that's when they diagnosed him with Kertaconus, and we're like 'kerata-what?'" says Kris Mattes.
He was diagnosed this past October.
Since that time Mason's parents searched for ways to help stop the disease from taking their sons vision...and they did.
Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler of Boxer Wachler Vision Institution developed a non invasive procedure called Holcomb c3-r treatment, that is the equivalent of a cornea transplant.
" We know that the success rate is extremely high being 99.3 percent" says Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler, Eye Surgeon:
It's a half hour procedure and patients are healed the very next day with little to no side effects.
Dr. Wachler has performed over 5,000 treatments within the past 13 years.
"Your eye might feel a little scratchy, a little bit sore for a day or so and that's about it" says Wachler.
Although a little nervous for the outcome Mason's parents know it could be a procedure that can change his life.
“This is going to stop the disease from growing...so it doesn't get any worse. there is a chance he can regain his vision in his right eye, which is just amazing" says Kris Mattes.
And for Mason...
"Just seeing things clear with both eyes" says Mason.
He couldn't be more excited to see a clearer more vibrant world.
Cornea transplants can cost between 20-30 thousand dollars.
The Holcomb c3-r treatment is much less and can be financed to a couple hundred dollars a month. Mason will have his procedure done on Thursday.
