Johnston Youth Leads Light the Night For Sight Walk Thursday

Kristin Rutz didn't know something was wrong with her right eye.

She was able to play, dance, watch cartoons and do just about everything a 4-year-old should do.

A routine eye exam at her daycare, in Urbandale, showed something was off in her right eye.

The free screening by Prevent Blindness Iowa saved Kristin, who is now 5, from permanent sight loss.

"They said they thought she had a lazy eye," her mother, Anita Rutz said of the screening. "We went home and wrote big letters and she read fine."

But a trip to the eye doctor showed she couldn't read when using her right eye.

Kristin was diagnosed with amblyopia or lazy eye — a sight-stealing disease where one eye is stronger than the other.

The diagnosis meant that without intervention Kristin's weak eye would eventually stop working and she would suffer permanent sight loss. In Kristin's case she would have lost sight in the eye at seven or eight years old.

"She had to wear a patch to re-train her brain for her right eye," Anita said. "She wore the patch for five hours each day for almost a year."

The patch wasn't too much trouble for Kristin. But she did remember how her classmates reacted.

One boy asked his mother if Kristin liked being a pirate.

"I didn't want to be a pirate," Kristin said.

Kristin will always wear glasses, but at her last eye doctor appointment in May she received a clean bill of health.

This spring, Kristin was named the 2012 Light the Night for Sight Youth Ambassador.

Kristin and her family will attend the 15th annual Light the Night for Sight Walk held Thursday in conjunction with Green Days.

The walk celebrates sight and encourages vision screening, while raising money for Prevent Blindness Iowa.

"We've gone to different businesses and told our story," Anita said of their role in the walk. "She comes and says her name and age, we're helping to put a name with the issue."

But Kristin's ready for the "fun stuff coming."

"She's excited for the walk and to lead it," Anita said. 

This year's walk is at 7:30 p.m. at the Johnston Public Library. Registration begins at 6:15 p.m.

Light the Night for Sight reminds the public about the gift of sight. The walk also brings attention to eye safety issues relating to fireworks, sports and UV rays.

The walk provides fun and safe alternative celebration ideas as well as information on proper eye protection and routine vision screening.

Johnston Patch will be on hand at the registration collecting newsletter sign-ups. For each newsletter sign-up Patch will donate $1 to Prevent Blindness Iowa.