Long-haul COVID may be cause for patient’s loss of sight

Most of her life, Samantha Miller has been in great health. But years after the COVID pandemic, she is experiencing some ongoing side effects.

By TJ Banes, IU Health Senior Journalist, tfender1@iuhealth.org

She was in vocational rehabilitation training when Samantha Miller chatted about her health status. She’s learning how to use a mobility cane and communicate through Braille and assisted technology.

The accommodations are all part of her rehabilitation from a life change that is believed to have started with coronavirus. “Doctors believe the COVID settled in my eyes. They believe long-haul COVID kick-started something I had a predisposition to,” said Miller, 53. She sees multiples, is legally blind in her right eye and has low vision in her left eye, dry eye, and thin cornea. “Before I had COVID I wore glasses but nothing else,” said Miller. She was also diagnosed with diabetes after COVID.

She first came to IU Health to visit her primary care physician, Dr. Andrew Young. She now works with a team of doctors including an optometrist, rheumatologist, endocrinologist, ENT, and neurologist. She’s also done physical therapy through IU Health.

“I’ve received excellent care through IU Health considering this is uncharted territory,” said Miller. In all, she estimates she has eight doctors and has appointments sometimes twice a week.

She no longer drives and is unable to continue her regular physical activity such as yoga.

“When I had my first date with my husband, we walked on the Monon Trail for four hours. I never wanted to be overweight or unhealthy so I’ve always done what I can to stay fit,” said Miller. She and her husband, Kevin were married two years ago. He has two sons.

To help express herself, Miller has found a new outlet through painting. Her husband and sons join in the activity. Samantha and Kevin submitted two versions of flowers in a vase for the annual art show exhibited at IU Health Simon Cancer Center. The show was presented by CompleteLife, a program that offers comprehensive therapies to patients including, massage, music, yoga, and art. In her acrylic on canvas, Samantha Miller painted white flowers; her husband used a pop of color. Samantha submitted a second piece she described as a self-portrait, a lotus. The works illustrated art through her lens, seeing the world through a rainstorm.

“My vision changes day to day, and it’s amazing what art has done to help me through this,” said Samantha. She’s hopeful about her rehabilitation and said she’d love to go back to work in the food industry. Her last business was selling chocolate dipped pretzels.