Dear Dr. Korn, Dr. Granet and the Shiley Eye Center UCSD:
I have thought thousands of times about how both unlucky and lucky I have been in the last year. The unlucky part, was when I was struck in the eye with a baseball while pitching, a smoked line drive hit. Something that rarely happens, but it happened to me. The lucky part was being treated by you and the Shiley Eye Center medical team that put me back together, and the blessings from something greater, not of this earth. You both were the key part of the medical team that put me back together and saved my eye. I am forever grateful for you and for having the sheer luck of living near UCSD and getting the best medical care I could have possibly received. My family and I are thanking God, you both and the Shiley Eye Center every day for giving me a second chance to live a normal life and continue to chase my dreams. My biggest dream of playing college and pro baseball requires two healthy eyes. I have that again and I will not waste this opportunity. I will continue to work hard to reach my goals and never take for granted that I am one of the lucky ones. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Dr Korn, Dr. Granet and your team at the Shiley Eye Center, UCSD. I lucked out and got the best care that I could have ever asked for.
- Cadhan Brown

I have an unusual vision problem and it didn't take me long to realize that I needed an unusual doctor. It just took me a long time to find one. I can't express how grateful I am to have found Dr. David Granet. He is truly a great surgeon which is, of course, first and foremost when considering the prospect of eye surgery. But in addition to his consummate technical skills, he has what is rarer: an ability to treat a patient as a person and not merely as a case or a diagnosis.

Dr. Granet was the first ophthalmologist who listened to my history of vision problems. He took the time to understand not only my vision, but my needs as a person and how better vision could make me more productive, safer, and happier. He offered various non-surgical treatments and explained the benefits and limitations of each. I ultimately opted for surgery and, as a result, I now see better and farther than I ever have in my life.

In the last month since my surgery, my vision has been like a new toy, a daily discovery of landscapes and details I've never seen before. The world is suddenly wider and surprisingly three dimensional for me. Simply walking down a hallway or driving a familiar route is a wonder of sensations. Dr. Granet's ability to understand and treat my particular vision disabilities has given me the self-confidence and courage to pursue life more fully.
Thanks!

~ Lisa Foster

Our daughter was diagnosed with Infantile Nystagmus at 2 months of age. We had never heard of the condition, but were very worried, and immediately started researching to learn more. We wanted her to benefit from the latest research and treatments offered. After a nationwide search, we met Dr. David Granet at The Shiley Eye Center, UCSD.
Dr. Granet is an incredibly approachable person, a really great communicator, and extremely experienced. His knowledge and research helped us identify the most ideal options possible. We were able to work very closely with him over many months and several visits to map out a tailored course of action for our daughter. Our confidence grew from the relationship about her prospects for a great outcome.

Since we live out of town, Dr. Granet's team in the office, in pre-op, and post-op were critical to our experience. They went out of their way to make everything run as smooth and easy as possible, from scheduling appointments to testing to coordinating her surgery to her recovery. They helped make a scary situation much more manageable. This added to our confidence and comfort about the prospects for our daughter's condition.

Surgery was recently performed and our daughter is seeing things in a new light that she didn't ever seem to notice before. She is actually able to see things clearly enough to ask, "what's that momma?" and even took her first multiple steps a few days after surgery. While we're still monitoring her condition and recovery from the procedure, it truly has been an exciting time for all of us. We are extremely grateful for Dr. Granet, his entire team, and to the whole team at Shiley and Ratner Eye Center for what has been done for our precious daughter."

~Martin and Melissa Goldstein

Aaron J. Byzak, MBA, FACHE
Senior Director, Government and Community Affairs
UC San Diego Health

In 2007, I was working for another health care provider in North County. In July of that year, my son Adam was born and within a few months was diagnosed with Albinism - a genetic condition that results in no pigment production and limited eye sight. I instantly knew that it was imperative that we get Adam to the Shiley Eye Institute at UC San Diego Health for care because of the expertise of their world-renowned staff.

Our experience at Shiley Eye Institute and the Ratner Children’s Eye Center has been incredible. From the first appointment, we knew that we had made the right choice. Dr. David Granet was immediately able to provide insight into Adam's condition and sight prognosis, which instantly provided a tremendous amount of relief for my wife and I. Dr. Granet conducted Adam’s eye surgery a few years later and we have seen marked improvement.

In 2014, we welcomed our daughter, Cassandra, who also has Albinism. She is now a patient of Dr. Granet’s as well and is doing great!

I think that UC San Diego Health’s clinical excellence is a directly related to our staff’s ability to conduct research, train tomorrow's health care professionals and provide top-notch clinical service. It is one of those amazing situations where the organization's mission is truly realized. As a matter of fact, my early experiences with Dr. Granet and UC San Diego Health helped solidify my decision to begin working here in 2009.

I've tried to write this letter several times over the last few years, but have finally found the words
to finish it. Describing the journey we've taken with our daughter has been hard to do well.
Perhaps more difficult has been capturing our teamwork with the doctor who has become critical
to her well-being. It's not easy to describe a superhero.

As the parents of three daughters, as forty-somethings, we have been fortunate to know many
really good doctors. Smart, caring men and women trying their best to help us sort out normal
daily ups and downs of life… colds, broken bones, minor illnesses, etc. Some have been better
than others for one reason or another, but most have been helpful and valuable. Occasionally,
however, someone stands out. That is why we're writing you today.

When our third and youngest daughter, Zoe, was a few months old, her eyes started to flutter,
nonstop, back and forth. We thought this was unusual and began to inquire. She was quickly
diagnosed with some form of nystagmus. Thankfully, the most concerning causes, like a brain
tumor, were ruled out early. However, there still were lots of questions, ideas, and information
to consider. It was confusing and scary.

We weren't sure which path would be best for her. Several doctors offered considered, but
divergent courses of action, or in some cases, hopeful non-action. Making the right moves
seemed time sensitive and critical, but which way to choose was very unclear. Addressing
nystagmus wasn't a well-known science like stitching a wound or setting a broken bone.
At about 10 months old, we'd traveled around our home state and visited another city across
the country in search of the best doctor and a plan for Zoe. We took another trip from our
hometown, Denver, Colorado, to La Jolla so she could visit David Granet. That trip was
transformative.

From the beginning, we knew he was different. On one hand, his expertise, experience, and
intellect were clear. However, he would probably roll his eyes at that comment because what
makes him so special is who he is… and he doesn't seem impressed with his status or intellect.
He's not just deeply kind and caring, or earthy and folksy. He's deeply human… and relates. His
approach transcends sterile concepts like “bedside manner”. It's more of a family approach…
he's become a member of ours.

Dr. Granet’s ability to manage complex medical investigation and intervention while also talking
like a regular person has been deeply helpful. Spending time without watching the clock,
accommodating out of town distant relations, and advising through conversation based on our
values and needs makes him special. Caring like we're members of his family has been a gift. Like
a marvel comic vigilante, he walks with us and among us, but has helped us through a scary
episode with calm, concern, interest, and frankly bravery that we have not found to be common.
There are too many examples to share, but our favorite was what we saw before her third and
last surgery. While other doctors have met with us prior to the staff taking our children back to
a surgical procedure, he took Zoe back to pre-op himself. We have a few photos of them playing
as they walked down the hall to her operation. She felt no fear, had no idea about the depth of
his surgical precision and was too young to understand the level of preparation he'd put into her
case. The seriousness of and precision required for that surgery never showed in his face. Never
mind that the complex procedure was a major success. He took care of her like a fabled old
physician practicing in times long gone by; before insurance companies and defensive medicine.
He healed more than her eyes and it rippled through our whole family.

Despite his accolades and world recognition in the areas of eye surgery and nystagmus, those
really aren’t Dr. Granet’s greatest specialty. Curiosity, drive, and medical expertise are traits he
uses to fix eyes, but people are what he's best at. We imagine he's one of those people who is
loved by friends and neighbors, who is trusted by all he knows, and who makes any room feel
warm, safe, and full of amazing potential. As the parents of one of his countless patients, we have
been beyond fortunate to know and team with him. Zoe doesn't know it, she just loves to visit
him and tell him what's new... like how she skis and plays on the school playground and rock
climbs and does all the things that wouldn't have been possible without him.

- Martin Goldstein

Dr. Granet successfully realigned my right eye muscle when I was a 71-year old youngster. A newly straightened eye…the most beautiful present of my whole life!

Each year, from age 4 to 7, Mom alternated taking me to Chicago or New York to have my strabismus monitored.  Then, when I was 7 years old, 1952, Mom flew with me to New York for a surgery to straighten my eyes. My first night in New York, she left me with a babysitter, in a hotel room, and she went out to party on the town. The babysitter offered me a martini. I only remember the olive!

The next day, I was lying in a hospital bed that had the sides pulled up…like a crib. I was in a huge, ugly, green room with lots of other kids, feeling very alone.

On the first day post-op, Mom told everybody that she had leaned over my hospital bed and started to faint from the smell of the ether {the anesthesia at that time}. A nurse rushed a wheelchair over to her so that she wouldn’t fall.  She loved telling that story so she could focus on how brave she was coming to visit me right after my surgery.

We had to stay in New York for one week so we went sightseeing. I remember looking out at the Statue of Liberty with my right eye patched; the same eye that Dr. Granet recently operated on.  After the patch was removed at the end of the week, my right eye wasn’t straight; it became my “lazy eye.”

Two years after the New York surgery, when I was 9 years old, my Dad kicked my Mom out of the house because of her infidelity. By the time I turned 10, she had married that man. He was an Ophthalmologist and he offered to operate on/straighten my right eye.  Dad refused.  That was the last thing ever said about fixing my eye.

I left for college when I was 17. Joining a sorority gave me lots of friends but I was called “Spook” because people couldn’t tell whether I was looking at them or somebody else; again, because of my wandering right eye.

As an adult, I worked in large companies where I trained multiple groups of 25 to 30 managers how to upgrade their leadership skills. Sometimes, I would ask a participant a question.  He/she would look around to see is I was talking to him/her.

As a result of these child and adulthood experience, I became extremely conscious of my “lazy eye.”  Since I’d been using each eye independently, I’d trained myself to use my right eye (to straighten it) when I talk to people. They thought my eyes were aligned and that I was looking straight at them.
Then came the wonderful day when Dr. Granet successfully straightened my “lazy eye.” Now both eyes are straight and I don’t have to spend energy remembering to look at people with my right eye so they’ll know I'm talking specifically to them.

Post-surgery, I’m realizing how much my eyes have played a leading role in the drama of my life. As a child and as an adult, I have felt alone, abandoned, judged by others and not medically attended to. Now, I have much more self-confidence because people know who I’m talking to, I don’t feel as tired from spending energy trying to remember how to look at people and I’m willing to be more active because I don’t have to worry about my eye alignment.  I am grateful that at this age, I can rewrite the script of my life. Thank you, Dr. Granet!

I want to thank you for the terrifically wonderful surgery you did on my eyes!

I know it sounds like a cliché, but you have changed my life. Only people with double vision know how annoying it is day in and day out. Even though prism glasses help – it is still very annoying.

Now I can go around, without glasses, and see the world as God intended. Well maybe He/She intended to give me a little trouble so that I could appreciate the world and humans like you, a little more.

Again, God bless you and the work you do to bring such blessings upon us who suffer with this affliction.

Bruce, January 2022