In 2015, after falling into a lake with her contact lenses in, professional photographer Alyssa Greenberg’s life changed forever. She experienced severe pain, sensitivity to light, and vision loss. While she sought treatment, Alyssa had to put her career on hold. She could no longer take photographs or even turn on the lights.
At first, no one knew what was causing Alyssa’s pain, “I was misdiagnosed a couple times before I was able to discover this rare parasite and needed a cornea transplant,” she said. Finally, she was correctly diagnosed with Acanthamoeba keratitis, a rare yet serious eye infection caused by a microscopic organism that had gotten trapped beneath her contact lens while she was in the water. The condition is extremely rare, and she did not respond well to the initial treatments. Ultimately, Alyssa’s eye specialist recommended a cornea transplant and her journey toward healing began. Alyssa’s treatment required more than one cornea transplant. After each procedure, her condition has improved. Regaining her vision meant everything to Alyssa—it gave her the chance to resume her life and pick up where she had left off in her career. Her sight isn’t just essential for capturing images; it’s critical for handling her equipment, organizing her gear, and running her business effectively.
“I’m a photographer, my vision is my livelihood and my life and my passion.”
Being able to see again has given Alyssa a renewed perspective, which has influenced her work. She has a deep appreciation for the ability to see. It motivates her to pour even more intention and effort into her craft and it has transformed how she approaches her art.
Alyssa is immensely grateful to her donors and their families for choosing to give her the gift of sight. She uses that gift every day to capture the beauty in her life and the lives of others, through her camera lens.
You can give the gift of sight to someone in need today by signing up at on the New York State Donate Life Registry here.
To learn more about Alyssa’s story, watch her testimonial video.