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WEST JORDAN — A talking scale and a computer help Sandy England, who is blind, make spaghetti pie.
Four decades ago, retinitis pigmentosa stole her vision. It's a genetic disorder that affects the retina's ability to respond to light.
"I could see a menu and then slowly I couldn't see that menu anymore, and I couldn't see the color. The colors just faded away," England said.
A single mom, she opened a bakery in her garage to make ends meet. "It was very tough. To raise two girls by myself, that was tough," she said.
Her world has been dark for 40 years — until now. Doctors in Minnesota recently turned on her bionic eye, the Argus II designed by Second Sight, for the first time. "It was like over 10,000 lightbulbs going off in my eyes," she said.
At home in West Jordan, she's learning to see in a new way. She sees shapes through electrical stimulation of the retina. A camera on her glasses captures an image, which goes to a battery-operated computer at her waist, then to a device on the outer eye wall connected to a microchip on her retina that sends the information to her optic nerve.
Though she met her husband, John England, back in 2002, she'd never seen him until recently. "I could see his neck, his chin, his cheeks and his forehead," she said. "It's really wonderful to be able to see John again and my daughters."
"It will give her an added dimension to what she's already been able to do. It's another tool she can use," he said.
Not many blind people get to see their guide dogs. But Sandy now sees Jet's silhouette and other ordinary miracles of life. "I could see the full moon for the first time in years," she said. "And the fireworks. I don't remember the last time I saw those. It was pretty exciting."
As doctors work to improve the bionic eye, Sandy and John enjoy new dreams and a new life. Researchers in England are also finding success testing the bionic eye in people with severe macular degeneration.
If you'd like to help with her medical expenses, the family has set up a GoFundMe page* under Sandy's Future Vision. *KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
