Beaming with pride
Crystal Lindell
Issue date: 10/25/02 Section: News
At first sight, Anthony Stauder looks like any other student, however upon closer inspection, Stauder is much more. He does not let anything stop him; not even multiple surgeries on his eyes because of a vision disability.
Stauder, a junior computer science major, is a Student Government Association senator at-large, as well as the secretary treasurer for Promoting the Rights of Individuals with Disabilities Everywhere.
Stauder was born with a disease called aniridia, which means he was born without an iris.
“The iris controls how much light enters the eye. I have a lot of problems with glare, and at night it is very dark outside,” Stauder said.
The disease is hereditary; it was passed on to him through his father. His 17-year-old brother was also born with the disease. Stauder also has glaucoma as a side effect of aniridia. This means the fluid in his eyes is not equal, causing abnormal pressure in his eyes.
Stauder does have limited sight, but his vision is gradually getting worse as he gets older because of scar tissue in his eyes that forms as the result of surgery.
Stauder has gone through 7 different surgeries in his lifetime.
“I was 4 or 5 when I had my first surgery,” Stauder said. The most recent was during his senior year of high school when he was 17 years old.
“I’m always afraid (of surgery),” Stauder said.
He has had his cataracts removed from both eyes, three valve implants and a cornea transplant. Laser surgery is not an option because it may be harmful to him.
“The cornea transplant was the most difficult,” Stauder said.
He added there was only a 75 to 80 percent chance of the surgery being successful, but it was.
Stauder pays for the surgeries with insurance money, and admits that he is worried about the day when he is no longer a dependent on his parents’ insurance. His disability will be a pre-existing condition.
Stauder chose to come to Western for a number of different reasons.
Stauder, a junior computer science major, is a Student Government Association senator at-large, as well as the secretary treasurer for Promoting the Rights of Individuals with Disabilities Everywhere.
Stauder was born with a disease called aniridia, which means he was born without an iris.
“The iris controls how much light enters the eye. I have a lot of problems with glare, and at night it is very dark outside,” Stauder said.
The disease is hereditary; it was passed on to him through his father. His 17-year-old brother was also born with the disease. Stauder also has glaucoma as a side effect of aniridia. This means the fluid in his eyes is not equal, causing abnormal pressure in his eyes.
Stauder does have limited sight, but his vision is gradually getting worse as he gets older because of scar tissue in his eyes that forms as the result of surgery.
Stauder has gone through 7 different surgeries in his lifetime.
“I was 4 or 5 when I had my first surgery,” Stauder said. The most recent was during his senior year of high school when he was 17 years old.
“I’m always afraid (of surgery),” Stauder said.
He has had his cataracts removed from both eyes, three valve implants and a cornea transplant. Laser surgery is not an option because it may be harmful to him.
“The cornea transplant was the most difficult,” Stauder said.
He added there was only a 75 to 80 percent chance of the surgery being successful, but it was.
Stauder pays for the surgeries with insurance money, and admits that he is worried about the day when he is no longer a dependent on his parents’ insurance. His disability will be a pre-existing condition.
Stauder chose to come to Western for a number of different reasons.