Correcting a Painful
Family Heritage
Raising 14 children is no small task, especially while suffering from a painful, debilitating eye condition. But for Anna Maria, this struggle was a day-to-day reality.
Although Anna Maria was never diagnosed and eventually went blind, her hereditary eye disease would ultimately affect 50 family members. Three generations later, the frustrated family finally received a diagnosis—and relief—thanks to Wills Eye Hospital.
In 1967, Anna Maria’s granddaughter Patty visited Peter R. Laibson, MD. Dr. Laibson diagnosed Patty with Lattice Corneal Dystrophy (LCD), an inherited condition that can cause vision loss in the absence of a corneal transplant. With the condition identified, Dr. Laibson performed corneal transplants for several members of the family.
“Everyone in the family considers those involved in the transplant process heroes,” says Patty’s sister Ellen.