Hello

Hi, I’m Leah. I am a high school student and I created TeenVisionSupport.com because I know exactly how hard it can be to deal with vision problems as a teenager; in fact, I'm still dealing with them! I’ve been diagnosed with uveitis and retinal neovascularization due to a genetic mutation of which there is not current cure or standardized treatment. I’ve been through more eye procedures than I could ever imagine: PRP laser treatments, retinal angiograms, anti-VEGF injections, endless appointments, and a lot of days where I wasn’t sure what my vision would be like when I woke up. To put it succinctly, the future of my vision still remains a bit blurry...

My Story

One day in chemistry class when I was 15 years old, the vision in my right eye suddenly went dark. At the time, I had no idea what was happening; I just knew I couldn’t see anything out of my eye, and it was terrifying. Later, I learned that this was my first (of many) retinal vitreous hemorrhages.

What followed was a blur of emergency room visits, MRIs, specialists, and painful eye procedures. Even after all the testing, no one could explain why this was happening or why it began so suddenly. I was started on medications that changed my mood, my energy, and even my body. Sometimes the side effects felt almost worse than the vision problems themselves.

Trying to keep up with high school, homework, and my volunteer work while dealing with unpredictable vision changes was incredibly hard. I had constant, painful headaches from straining to read and study. And when I learned that the same thing was now happening in my left eye, I felt overwhelmed and scared in a way I didn’t know how to talk about.

For a long time, I felt really alone. There were medical websites that explained the science, but nothing that talked about what it actually feels like to go through all of this while trying to keep up with school, friends, sports, and just being a normal teen. Most stuff online is dedicated to older adults. Even when I go to all my opthamology and surgical appointments, I am always the youngest patient in the room!

From the outside, everything looked fine, which made it difficult for my friends and loved ones to fully understand what I was going through. I wanted a place where people my age could talk openly, support each other, and understand each other without needing to explain every detail.

That’s why I built this website. TeenVisionSupport.com is meant to be a safe, supportive space where teens can share their stories, ask questions, and find people who truly get what they’re going through. Whether you’re scared, confused, frustrated, hopeful, or just tired of feeling different, this is a place where you don’t have to deal with it alone.

My goal is simple: to make sure every teen facing a vision condition feels seen, supported, and understood, because I know how much that would (and still would) have helped me, and I hope it helps you too.