by Greg Fisher
26. August 2010 13:13
A bobsled driver, Steve Holcomb, has a remarkable story to tell. Suffering from keratoconus, a degenerative, incurable eye disease, he managed to become a member of the American national team. Then, when his condition worsened so much that he was pronounced legally blind, he had to retire and it seemed that his career was over.
However, his teammates and coaches did not give up. They found out about a non-surgical treatment called C3-R®, which consists in using vitamins and light to strengthen the cornea (weakened by keratoconus). In combination with special contact lenses, the treatment allowed him to see well again and end his retirement.
Subsequently, he won the World Bobsled Championship in 2009 and started to prepare for the Winter Olympics. On the 27th February, he made history, winning the Olympic gold medal.
His victory became an inspiration for thousands of other keratoconus patients and made the C3-R® procedure, performed on Holcomb by Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler, much better-known.