When 22-year-old Angel Brinson arrived at Alameda Health System (AHS), she was living with legal blindness after years of vision problems that began in high school. Thanks to the expertise of Lillian Tran, MD, an ophthalmologist specializing in cornea and external diseases, Brinson regained her sight through two life-changing cornea transplants and now has a healthy, bright future ahead.
“I was incredibly scared about the operation, but Dr. Tran held my hand and reassured me it would be fine,” Brinson said. “As it turned out, it was better than fine, it was the best thing that could have happened and it changed everything for me.”
Brinson’s vision challenges were caused by keratoconus, a progressive eye disease that thins and distorts the cornea. “By the time I met Angel, glasses or contacts were no longer an option,” shared Dr. Tran. “The only treatment left was corneal transplantation in both eyes.”
Because corneal transplants use donor tissue, surgeries are typically performed one eye at a time, with months of recovery in between. Brinson’s first procedure was on her left eye, and the results surprised even Dr. Tran.
“Most patients don’t see improvement for four to six months,” she explained. “But Angel reached almost driving-level vision in just one week. I had to retest her because I just couldn’t believe it.”
Six months later, Brinson underwent surgery on her right eye. The second recovery was more gradual, taking about two and a half months, but the results were just as transformative. Today, she is no longer legally blind, and her restored vision has brought a whole new perspective.
“Now I can see the people I love clearly for the first time and it feels amazing and a little surreal because before the surgery, everything was a blur,” Brinson shared. “I couldn’t even recognize people I knew unless I got very close.”
With her vision restored, Brinson is pursuing her lifelong passion for art. Inspired by Disney movies, she creates colorful digital animations and is working on a series called The Creator, a female-led story set in a fantasy version of her own neighborhood in Oakland.
Her personal growth has been just as remarkable as her artistic achievements. “When I first met Angel, she was scared and withdrawn, hesitant to even go through basic exams,” said Dr. Tran. “Over the past year and a half, she has opened up and grown into a completely different person. She is happy, engaged, confident, and embracing a whole new outlook on life.”
For Brinson, this life-changing care was possible because AHS now offers corneal transplantation, a service not previously available. With Dr. Tran as the health system’s first full-time cornea specialist, AHS performs 20 to 30 corneal transplants each year, bringing advanced eye care to patients who might otherwise have gone without.
Dr. Tran credits Jonathan Hernandez, MD, chief of ophthalmology, and AHS leadership for making these outcomes possible. “Thanks to their support, our newly expanded Eastmont clinic, with advanced technology, new exam rooms and a fellowship-trained team allows AHS to provide quality eye care, and stories like Angel’s are exactly why I love what I do,” said Dr. Tran.