Family participates in vision walk to find a cure for their daughter's eye condition

April 15, 2010

It is important to make sure that children receive proper eye care exams at an early age so physicians can screen for eye health conditions that could affect the future of young patients' vision.

The Duible family in Manchester, Michigan, is gearing up for the 2010 Vision Walk after their daughter, Lillian, was diagnosed with a retinal disorder, which is believed to be Usher Syndrome, according to the Manchester Enterprise.

The team - who call themselves Lilly's Friends - has so far raised $4,635 toward the Foundation Fighting Blindness, which will use the donations for further research in developing a cure for various eye conditions.

Lillian has visited serveral eye care professionals but no one has been able to give her a proper diagnosis. It is believed she has Usher Syndrome because she is hard of hearing and is gradually losing her sight. The girl's parents are hopeful that their participation in the walk will someday lead to treatment for their daughter.

"They don't have the complete mapping done yet, so there’s still a lot of work to be done," Lillian's mother, Angie Diuble, told the news provider. "That's why we're doing the walk and why more studies need to be done. We're waiting for a diagnosis and a cure."

Vision Walks across the country have raised more than $10 million to go toward research.