Veteran Experiencing Vision Loss Finds New Hope Through Blind Rehabilitation Center

Story by Ken Cornwell

Defense Health Agency

When Charles Alewine started losing his vision, it took a huge toll on the athletic veteran, leaving him struggling emotionally and concerned about the future.

“It was very, very depressing,” said Alewine.

Alewine served as a paratrooper with the 502nd Infantry, and was extremely active into his 60s, competing in over 300 marathons including ultra-long-distance runs of 100 miles.

During one long-distance race in 2006, he experienced the first in a series of health problems that would lead to almost total vision loss—several mini-strokes caused by an undiagnosed heart condition.

“I had a hole in my heart,” said Alewine. “I’ve had it all my life, but I didn’t know it. Not enough blood was being pumped from my heart, and my eyes weren’t getting proper oxygen—which really compromised my vision.”

Alewine underwent several surgeries to correct the heart condition. In 2014, he was diagnosed with glaucoma which caused more significant vision loss—“nearly half the vision I had,” he said.

According to the National Eye Institute, glaucoma is an eye disease that causes slow vision loss over time by damaging the optic nerve in the back of the eye. There is no cure for glaucoma, but it can be treated with medication, laser treatment, and surgery.

Alewine’s remaining vision continued to deteriorate.

“I’d been going through the different stages of glaucoma, and probably within the last six months or so, I got to the end stage,” he said. “My vision seems to have hit rock bottom. I don’t see anything out of my right eye, and my left eye is really poor, probably no more than 10%. I can’t see anything clearly. I don’t really see anything on the TV and I have a fifty-inch screen. I don’t see faces very well.”

Alewine’s struggles were compounded by trigeminal neuralgia, a chronic condition causing severe facial pain.

“Trigeminal neuralgia is so bad,” he said. “When you combine that with blindness—it made me very depressed. It made me even think about checking out, but my oldest son just had a little baby. I thought, ‘I can’t do that.’ Those thoughts of checking out were with me for a long time though.”
To get help dealing with the emotional challenges of vision loss, as well as the daily physical challenges he faced, Alewine was referred to the Major Charles Robert Soltes, Jr., O.D. Department of Veteran’s Affairs Blind Rehabilitation Center in Long Beach, California. At the BRC, he found the support system he desperately needed.

“The role of the BRC is to help improve a patient’s function with their remaining vision rather than managing health or acute medical issues. This facility is one of thirteen blind rehabilitation centers in the VA system nationally,” said Sally Dang, an optometrist specializing in low vision rehabilitation with the Defense Health Agency’s Vision Center of Excellence.

Dang said the VCE serves as an intermediary enabling vision care and coordination between the VA and the Department of Defense, supporting both agencies.

According to Dr. David Eliason, an ophthalmologist and Deputy Chief of the VCE, the center is dedicated to advancing eye injury research and care for service members and veterans.

“Through collaborative efforts across the DOD and VA, the VCE maximizes the potential for effective prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of eye injuries and vision loss due to traumatic brain injury,” said Eliason.

“The VCE is getting involved in clinical outcomes,” Dang continued. “We’re looking for more opportunities to share with the public results we’re seeing within the DOD and the VA.”

When Alewine was first referred to the BRC, Dang noted his feelings of hopelessness.

“Mr. Alewine knew there wasn’t anything that could be done for his vision loss,” said Dang. “But he took a chance by moving forward to get care. What he gained through the training process at the inpatient center was more hope and a greater sense of self-confidence.”

Alewine learned many valuable skills and received much needed support to help him navigate daily life. No longer being able to read, he was taught how to use assistive devices.

One especially helpful device he received was a text-to-speech assistive reader. “You put a document on it, it takes a picture of it, and then it reads what the document says. So, that’s just been fabulous.”

Alewine also benefited from the camaraderie he experienced.

“The thing I was not anticipating, and really did a lot of good for me, was the people … the camaraderie with all the people who have the same problem I do. Prior to that, I’d never been in a situation where I was talking to other people who were blind.”

This includes a group of military buddies he relies on for support.

“When I meet up with them, it’s the highlight of my week—the thing I look forward to most in life right now,” he said. “I feel really good about being able to reach out to a couple of these guys just to have somebody to talk to.”

Dang noted the transformation she’s seen in Alewine.

“It’s like 180 degrees,” she said. “In just about five weeks, there was an almost complete reversal in his attitude regarding his vision loss.”

Coming to terms with his vision loss has changed Alewine’s life for the better.

“It’s given me a lot more confidence in my life. It made me think more about maximizing what I have and stop thinking about what I don’t have.”