Welcom

Welcome to Hopeforsight.org

A support group and informational site for Corneal Dystrophy,

and other rare corneal conditions.

            This website was started by two mothers of daughters with a rare corneal dystrophy called Reis-Buckler’s or Granular Corneal Dystrophy Type III. We found each other on a message board while searching for information about this disease. We contacted each other and our relationship has been so valuable to us, (swapping stories about what has helped our children deal with their pain and other symptoms and finding and sharing information on doctors and research), that we felt strongly that others would benefit from the kind of support we have enjoyed. As far as we know, there are no such support groups on the web yet.

            Our mission at hopeforsight.org is to be a support group and informational site for individuals and families living with corneal dystrophy.  We will be posting information about the latest research and studies for all types of corneal disease, (there are over twenty different known corneal dystrophies) as well as the different treatments available. Where possible we will provide links to websites we have found helpful, and we will be available via e-mail to help answer questions and/or direct you to someone who can. We want to be a resource for other parents and anyone coping with any type of corneal dystrophy and are not a substitute for competent medical advice.

             We are also diligently working with and making contact with respected doctors, researchers and scientists in the field of corneal dystrophy to help advance our cause.  Our hope is that by bringing patients, doctors and science together, we can make a difference in the quality of life for many who live with painful, and often debillitating corneal diseases. We also believe that molecular diagnosis(genetic testing) is an extremely important step to advancing research and finding ways to successfully treat corneal dystrophy in the future.   

              Please feel free to browse our site, post a message on the bulletin board, and pass along any information/news to us. Remember, the heart of our site is really the Bulletin Boards.   It is where we all have the opportunity to learn from each other.  Please register and share your story, that is the best way to find others in your situation! We are finding that we can create many smaller condition specific support groups under our umbrella. If you prefer, we also have mailboxes available to our members so you can communicate with others in the forums privately.  Many of the different types of corneal dystrophies share common symptoms as well as the threat of blindness, so we want to include as many groups of people as possible on this website. Simply put, the more members we gain, the better able we will be to work as a group to gain awarness and insight, as well as to advance research and treatment, for Corneal Disease.  If you have any difficulty registering on the site- please don't give up! Go to "contact us" and we will help you join in. 

IF YOU REGISTER AND DO NOT RECEIVE CONFIRMATION OF YOUR PASSWORD AND USER ID, AND A WELCOME EMAIL FROM US WITHIN A FEW HOURS- PLEASE EMAIL US DIRECTLY FROM THE CONTACT PAGE- MAKE SURE TO CHECK YOUR SPAM AND BULK MAIL FILE- AND TELL YOUR ISP TO RECOGNIZE MAIL FROM IPOWERWEBB, (who is our host for the site) OR YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND UPDATES FROM US AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RECEIVE EMAIL FROM OTHER MEMBERS. 

             Be sure to watch for the PBS special, “Healthy Eyes” about all types of eye problems including Reis- Buckler Corneal Dystrophy.  Check for your local airtimes or watch from their website,www.healthybodyhealthymind.com .

Darcie & Karen