One Step at a Time: From Vision Loss to a Doctoral Degree with Carlos T. Reza | Ep #51

In 1998, Carlos T. Reza was a correctional officer in California when he first noticed something was wrong with his vision on the firing range. Within a year, after multiple surgeries and a cornea transplant, he had lost vision in both eyes. In this episode, Carlos sits down with Jeanne McClellan to share what it was really like to navigate vision loss in his early thirties — medically retiring from the prison system, learning to use a cane, picking up braille, and then deciding, with no college experience, that he was going to earn a doctoral degree in psychology. Thirteen years later, he did. Walking across the graduation stage to a standing ovation, Carlos knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be. His message to anyone navigating vision loss is simple: accept it, embrace it, and figure out how to use it to move forward. You cannot finish a race without doing one step at a time. Want to be a guest on the podcast? If you or someone you know has a story to share — whether you've experienced a pediatric retinal condition yourself or are raising a child who has — we'd love to hear from you. Reach out to us at [email protected]. You can find more episodes and ways to get involved with the Pediatric Retinal Research Foundation here: https://linktr.ee/throughoureyespodcast