A Brisbane teenager has been forced to abandon his dream of becoming a professional rugby player after being left partially blind from the rapid spread of a sinus infection.
Riley Adams, 15, was on a cruise to New Zealand with his parents when he woke up one morning with one eye swollen to the size of a golf ball.
He was administered antibiotics while on board, but the swelling had put critical pressure on his optical nerve by the time the cruise reached its destination, making his sight impossible to save, Seven News reports.
Riley Adams (pictured), 15, has been forced to abandon his dream of becoming a professional rugby player after being left partially blind from the rapid spread of a sinus infection
The teen was on a cruise to New Zealand with his parents when he woke up one morning with one eye swollen to the size of a golf ball
His father, Jason Adams, said his son was an active and fun young man who’s dream of a sporting career had been completely shattered.
‘He had aspirations of playing rugby league at the top leavel, NRL level,’ he said.
By the time the teen arrived in Dunedin, 24 hours after the painful swelling begun, emergency surgery wasn’t enough to save his left eye.
‘The length of time that the pressure was pushing on his optical nerve has cause permanent blindness,’ Mr Adams said.
The swelling had put critical pressure on his optical nerve by the time the cruise reached its destination, making his sight impossible to save
His father, Jason Adams (pictured), said his son was an active and fun young man who’s dream of a sporting career had been completely shattered
His parents now face a long road of medical expenses and have started a Go Fund Me account to raise $30,000.
‘He now has to retrain his brain in his 2D perception as he has lost his ability to see in 3D,’ the page states.
‘Depth perception and spatial awareness also has to be taught again.’
While his parents are hopeful he will fight the infection and it won’t spread to his brain, they are ‘devastated’ it has taken his sight so young.
‘As parents we are just so sad for our beautiful boy at 15 to have lost his sight in one of his eyes – this tragedy is devastating at any age, but at 15 it breaks our hearts,’ the page reads.
Riley’s parents now face a long road of medical expenses and have started a Go Fund Me account to raise $30,000
While they are hopeful he will fight the infection and it won’t spread to his brain, they are ‘devastated’ it has taken his sight so young