Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) announced Saturday he underwent emergency eye surgery and will be effectively blind for about a month.
The 37-year-old Navy veteran lost his right eye and sustained damage to his left in 2012 when a homemade bomb exploded during his deployment in Afghanistan, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
“A few days ago, I noticed some dark, blurry spots in my vision, which seemed out of the ordinary. I went to get this checked out by an ophthalmologist on Thursday and they discovered that my retina was detaching,” he wrote in a statement:
This is a terrifying prognosis for someone with one eye, and the nature of the injuries that I sustained in Afghanistan. Anyone who knows the history of my injuries knows that I don’t have a ‘good eye,’ but half a good eye. The blast from 2012 caused a cataract, excessive tissue damage, and extensive damage to my retina. It was always a possibility that the effects of the damage to my retina would resurface, and it appears that is exactly what has happened. The prognosis I received on Thursday is obviously very bad.
Crenshaw said the surgery went well but explained he will be “effectively blind for about a month”:
“During the surgery, they put a gas bubble in my eye, which acts as a bandage for my retina. This means I have to be face-down for the next week or so, unable to see anything,” he noted.
Following his deployment in 2012, Crenshaw later deployed to the Middle East in 2014 and South Korea in 2016, according to his website.
In his statement, Crenshaw said his offices in Washington, D.C., and Houston will continue operations.
“I have gotten through worse before, and I will get through this,” he noted, adding, “I’ve got Tara by my side, and we are here in Houston with plenty of support.”
“A few prayers that my vision will get back to normal and that I will make a full recovery wouldn’t hurt, though, and would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance for your thoughts, prayers, and support,” the representative concluded.