Focusing on what matters
Man with artificial eyes hasn’t lost sight of life
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Yvon Clement faced adversity from an early age.
He suffered from cataracts as a child and was diagnosed with glaucoma, a group of eye diseases that lead to progressive degeneration of the optic nerve.
“I had three operations on my left eye and then two on my right when I was six. The operations had a 50 percent chance of success, and they went wrong,” said Clement, now 53. “I was too young to know or refuse the surgery, but they scraped away so much of the corneas that my eyes could not be saved.”
As a result, the Halifax man has two realistic-looking prosthetic blue eyes.
“No one knows I have prosthetic eyes unless I tell them,” Clement said. “But I was born with brown eyes and decided to go with the blue pupil prosthetics just because I preferred the colour. The prosthetics are made in the shape of my former eyes and have the same natural movement.”
Clement still vividly remembers being bowled over by the colours of the sunrise and sunset as a kid.
“I remember the green painted walls of my childhood home, the yellow hue of the streetlights, and marvelling as a child at the colours of the sunrise, and then the sunset. I don’t remember what vehicles, grass or fences look like, to name but a few, but those other memories – specifically — stand out.”
Clement said while he has no vision, he does have a clear goal in sight when it comes to living and enjoying life.
“My eyes don’t work, but I utilize my ears, my hands, legs, mind. If you put your mind to it you can do almost anything,” he said. “In my neighbourhood I don’t always use my cane because I listen, pay attention, judge the situation and know the area — it’s part of being independent.”
Clement shared his story with others during the 42nd Canadian Council of the Blind Atlantic Sports and Recreation Weekend in Summerside. The three-day event also marked the council’s 75th anniversary. More than 42 participants, as well as their drivers and guides attended.
Clement said the event is popular with those who attend.
“I’ve known people at this event for over a period of 20 years, if not more. Some of them I went to school with, others I play sports with, and I love doing this recreation because it keeps me active and young.”
For more information, visit ccbnational.net.