Help Josh get a Bioptic Lens and Drive!!

July 17, 2023 was a big day. A low vision specialist in Smyrna told me I qualified for a bioptic lens and could use it to learn to drive.

I was overwhelmed.

I was excited.

And honestly I was a little scared.

I’m 41 years old and I’ve had albinism my whole life. It means my body doesn’t produce melanin, which causes white hair and really light skin. It also results in low vision; my near-sightedness can’t be corrected.

This has not held me back in my life. I have an amazing family. My wife, Kimberly and I have five beautiful children. I’m the choir director at Sequoyah High School in Canton, Georgia and have had enormous success in my professional life.

But I have never been able to drive. That’s a challenge for me and my family of seven.

My vision made driving impossible.

Or so I thought.

A bioptic lens is a medical device that can be prescribed to help some people with low vision drive. In Georgia and most other states, there are laws that allow for bioptic drivers. A biopic lens is a small, telescopic device that gets mounted on the top of a pair of glasses. It’s very futuristic-looking! Think of a cross between Mad-Eye Moody from Harry Potter and Geordi from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Heres me trying on a demo at my appointment:

Once I have the bioptic, I would complete a training course at a state approved driving school for bioptic drivers. I’ll need to learn how to handle using the bioptic lens on top of normal driver’s ed.

It would literally be life-changing. Not just for me but for my family, too.

Insurance does not cover the biopic lens nor the specialized drivers training it requires.

This GoFundMe will raise funds for the following:

* The bioptic lens and the carrier frames they are mounted on

* Bioptic driver training from a state-approved driving school

* Transportation to and from the driving training and childcare

Any extra funds that are raised would be applied to purchasing a car!

If you could make a donation of $5, $25, or $50 that would mean so much to making this dream a reality. Even if you can’t make a donation, please share this GoFundMe on your individual social media feed of through email or text!

Thank you so very much!

Sincerely,

Josh