Laurel woman losing her sight raises funds for vision 5K

When Kristina Howell of Laurel, Md. was 23 years old, she went in for a routine exam at her optometrist’s office to get contact lenses.

“They did some testing and they noticed that I wasn’t seeing in my peripheral, and they couldn’t tell me what it was,” Howell said.

The visit led to several follow-up exams, first with ophthalmologist Ronald Oser, M.D. in Laurel, and then with retina specialist Robert Stephens in Bethesda. After an electroretinography (ERG) eye test, it was confirmed: Kristina had a condition called retinitis pigmentosa, or RP. RP is a rare genetic disorder that involves a breakdown of cells in the retina and causes the loss of peripheral vision. While the progression of RP can differ greatly from person to person, eventually, most people with RP will lose most of their sight.

“I think when I left Dr. Stephens’ office in Bethesda, I cried for three straight days, devastated that he told me I was going to lose my vision,” said Howell, now 31 and a mother of two young daughters. “I’m OK with it now. … I’m not going to let that stop me from having a normal life.”

Eight years after her diagnosis, Howell is not only still a patient of Dr. Oser’s but works as a technician at his office, Laurel Eye Physicians and Surgeons.

“I build a bond with a lot of the patients,” Howell said. “They’ll call and ask me how I’m doing, and I’ll call and ask them how they’re doing.” As an employee of Laurel Eye Physicians, Howell said she can empathize with many patients who are going through vision loss. “It’s getting a little worse each year,” she said. “I think I’m down to 40 degrees (of visual field).”

On Sunday, Sept. 20, Howell will participate in the second annual Eye Run for POB, a 5K and fun run to support local vision programs by the Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington. She is participating with her coworkers on the Laurel Eye Physicians office team.

“Our office – we’re like family. We support each other in everything,” Howell said. “This is what we do, we care about people’s eyes.” The team has already raised $1,100 of its $2,000 fundraising goal and is the largest Eye Run team with 33 members.

“I’m doing this for me,” Howell said. “And hopefully, my kids will have a better chance of not going blind.” Howell attended the inaugural event last year with her daughters, as well. “It’s just fun; it’s nice to get together as a work office and do this together,” she said.

Eye Run for POB will be held at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The event will consist of a 5K and fun run, a vision health fair with vision screenings and information about eye health, and a family-friendly Kids Camp with children’s author Valerie Tripp in celebration of her new literary project, Boys Camp. POB is also proud to partner with Achilles International for this event to provide running guides for participants with visual impairments. For more information and to register for the event, please visit www.youreyes.org.

Founded in 1936, the Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington® is the largest local prevention of blindness agency in the United States, dedicated to the improvement and preservation of sight by providing services, education, advocacy and innovation. The organization serves the District of Columbia, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties of Maryland, and Northern Virginia. POB screens 8,000 children annually for vision loss and strabismus and 5,000 adults for glaucoma. POB also provides thousands of low-income and homeless individuals with low-cost eyeglasses. Its Aging Eye Network, Macular Degeneration Network and Stargardt’s Network provide public programs and support groups.