Vision device becomes life-changing gift for Concord teen
CONCORD, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — At 16 years old, Caleb Hernandez hasn’t experienced a lot. He hasn’t seen the ocean, he doesn’t really know what a bird looks like, or the sharpness of a single blade of grass.
Now, however, he does know those details, and soon he can explore all the world’s beauty thanks to this device. And it was free of charge.
“This is probably one of the best days of my life, right here,” Hernandez said.
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Caleb has Optic Nerve Hypoplasia. That’s the under-development of nerves in his eyes, leaving him legally blind in his left eye.
“There have been times I have gotten nose bleeds because someone ran into me,” Hernandez said.
His vision teacher put him in touch with Sight Savers, which through generous donations, is able to gift tools and devices like the Clearview Go to children with varying vision problems.
“It never gets old. It’s fantastic to see and help children like Caleb. It warms your heart,” said Dawn DeCarlo, CEO at Sight Savers America. “It makes it worth getting up and going to work every single day.”
Things we take for granted, Caleb will be viewing for the first time ever.
“I know this is crazy, but like I said, the detail,” Hernandez said. “I can see the inside of leaves. Stuff like that. I know it sounds pretty boring.”
Caleb’s device is portable and can help him look out the window, read or see things without pressing his face against it. He can flip the camera around and use the device as a mirror, and probably one of the most anticipated events? Movie night with the family.
“He’s having to visualize what he thinks is going on,” said his grandmother Kim Hernandez, “but now he can just flip that around and be able to watch the movie with us. That’s just going to be amazing!”
Sight Savers will check in with the students periodically until they’re 19 years old to ensure the equipment is not only working, but working for them. Over the past few decades, they’ve helped more than 4,000 children.
“This is going to change life for him immensely,” said Hernandez. “We can’t say how grateful and thankful we are enough.”
Sight Savers is based out of Alabama. DeCarlo says insurance often doesn’t cover these types of devices, and schools that have the equipment can’t let the kids take them home with them. In their experience, children who get the devices experience improved grades, and an incredible boost in self-esteem and independence.
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