Emily Swenson

Emily Swenson is a second-year business and marketing major at the University of Arkansas. When she was just ten years old, she started having regular headaches and became sensitive to bright light. Her mother thought she should see an eye doctor. During a visit to the family’s eye doctor, it was discovered that the pressure in her right eye was around 40. Emily recalls the doctor checking her pressure over and over during the visit and he was puzzled by the high readings. He referred Emily and her mom to Dr. Grover at Glaucoma Associates of Texas.

Dr. Grover prescribed drops that he hoped would help control the high pressure, but after about eight weeks with no improvement, Emily was scheduled for surgery to perform the minimally invasive GATT procedure in her right eye.

While the recovery was not terribly comfortable and she had to wear an eye patch for a period of time, Emily knew that the procedure would help with her glaucoma diagnosis. After the implant procedure, her pressure registered at 10 and has not been higher than 15 since then.

Emily did not have many issues in her teen years with the implant or her vision. She was able to play volleyball for Allen High School and has always enjoyed working out, music, traveling and cooking. For a few years, she wore glasses and contact lenses to improve her vison, but two years ago, her vision corrected itself, and she no longer needs them.

Because of her vision issues, Emily took advantage of the Section 504 plan through her high school. The 504 plan allows for special accommodations when a disability is present so that students can have the same access to learning and activities that their peers have. One accommodation Emily used was that she was able to take standardized tests with a larger font. Although she had access to other accommodations, she did not use them, but it was nice to know they were available to her.

Emily would tell any other ten-year-old out there in a similar situation to trust in the knowledge and skill of your doctor and know that everything is going to be okay.

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