Help my dad get Conjuctivoplasty (eye surgery)

For three 3 years my dad has been suffering a debilitating eye condition. We’ve already spent $13,000 for part of his treatment which has helped with the pain he was enduring, but he needs to have an additional surgery to remove excess scar tissue on his eyes to regain the ability to blink on his own. Insurance does not cover any of these procedures and it's important we get it done soon. We both had the same eye probing treatment done totaling about $30,000 out of pocket so far. This surgery will be about an additional $15,000-$16,000 out of pocket. Below you will find all the details about what he is going through and I have uploaded photos of the breakdowns of the costs. Any amount would be greatly appreciated, and if you can't donate, please share.

He has seen doctor after doctor and was consistently misdiagnosed. For years he underwent every test and did every treatment which unfortunately brought him no relief. It wasn’t until this past November 2022 that he was finally diagnosed with Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.

If you would like a detailed overview of his (and my) experience please watch my youtube video explaining the condition, our symptoms, and the probing treatment we both underwent with MGD specialist Dr. Steven Maskin in Tampa, Fl. https://youtu.be/T5p9LbBFXd8

Everyone experiences MGD differently, but his symptoms have completely deteriorated his quality of life. His eyes cannot produce tears or oil. He has no control over his eye lids because without moisture, they cannot physically open. His eyes burn 24/7, and he has to physically open his lids with his hands in order to open his eyes at all and it is painful. He has to wear special googles to help with the light sensitivity and for years was wearing goggles that sealed any air from hitting his eyes. There are NO drops or medication that give him relief. This is far from a case of dry eyes.

Recently we both underwent a long series of testing and a gruesome/painful procedure called Meibomian Gland Probing as well as punctal occlusion. These treatments provided my dad with some relief, but he still needs one more surgery called Conjuctivoplasty. He has Conjunctivochalasis (CCH) which means his eye balls have an excess of scar tissue from the trauma of not being able to produce moisture. This causes a lot friction between his eyeball and lids and the tissue needs to be removed and replaced with healthy tissue so his eyes can open properly. If he doesn’t get this surgery, more scar tissue will form and things will get worse. He’ll lose the use of his eyes entirely.

And even though we have the privilege of having health insurance, absolutely none of this is covered.

My dad’s recent testing and recent meibomian gland probing procedure cost over $13,000 cash, upfront, not covered by insurance with no payment plan options.

We got a quote for the Conjuctivoplasty, and it is $5,235 per eye and that price does not include hospital fees, anesthesia, or pathology. We expect the total to be around $15,000 or more. At the end, all of this will have cost him over $30,000 total (close to $45,000 if you include my treatment and testing as well.) We do not currently have the funds to get him this surgery as quickly as he should have it which is why I am seeking help. Anything over our initial goal will go to travel expenses from Georgia to Tampa. After the surgery, he needs to stay in Tampa for 10-14 days. Should there be any additional funds, they will help towards covering those travel costs. I will update the goal once we know the exact amount.

I really hate seeing my dad suffer like this. Even though he has vision, his Conjunctivochalasis is making him blind and disabled. And what’s frustrating is that it’s completely curable.

I’m asking for help to cure my dad.

If you have personally known my dad, he goes out of his way to help coworkers, friends, family, and strangers and never asks for anything in return. He is the first one to offer help for any task however menial or labor intensive. He’s a very handy person and he’s always fixing, building, or working on some new project. Either for himself or someone else, but with this disorder, he cannot do any of these things. He can’t walk a few feet without stopping to open his eyes, he struggles getting around his house, he can’t watch TV, he can’t read. We take our sight for granted. This disorder has brought him a wave of depression. He feels helpless and useless.

If you can help in any way, big or small, we would be eternally grateful. Even sharing this GoFundMe is greatly appreciated.

If we are able to get this procedure done, I promise to document the surgery so everyone can follow his healing journey. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Thank you so much.