Experimental treatments could mean sight for Flater

What began as high school buddies out fishing around the time of the July 4 holiday last summer, turned into a young man’s misfortune. Brock Flater, Lake Holcombe senior, was hanging out with this friends, just wanting to have some fun with fireworks in the summer of 2020.

“All the sudden, one (Roman candle) came out of nowhere,” said Flater. “I got struck right in the eye.”

His girlfriend rushed him to the house, then his mom took him to the ER in Ladysmith, but they sent them on to Chippewa Falls. The ER staff cleaned his right eye out immediately and after seeing a cornea specialist, Flater was sent home.

He went back to the hospital every day for a week, to get his eye cleaned and checked over so infection didn’t set in. He was then referred to a cornea specialist in Eau Claire, but that doctor didn’t know what could be done. So – no pun intended – Flater looked around and discovered Dr. Edward Holland, a corneal specialist, in Edgewood, Ky.

Holland is known for his national and international reputation on his knowledge in the field of cornea/external disease.

“I’m not the only out-of-stater going to see this guy,” added Flater, who said it helps that the doctor has taken an interest his life, not just his eye. “He’s taken very good care of me.”

Flater has had three surgeries already, and will require two to three more. To begin, he was given a gel-like susbtance to his injured eye, the first treatment in its field.

“I was the first one in the U.S. to have that,” said Flater. “I had no living cells in my eye and they put that new experiment in, and within 24 hours, my eye was full of living cells.”

At first, Flater and his family traveled three times a week, to Kentucky, including for membrane surgery, as his eyelid doesn’t close all the way and was drying out.

Although it is possible in some cases, Flater’s doctor is concerned that his eye wouldn’t accept a real cornea transplant. Based on another new study in Israel, Flater will have surgery to insert an artificial cornea.

“A guy had that put in…and within the next day, he had full sight back,” said Flater.

Right now, Flater is in limbo for everything to “settle down” in the world, but once that happens, Holland is positive he can fix not only Flater’s eye, but his eyelid, as well.

“And whenever that new study comes to the U.S., that doctor (Holland) has the first dibs on it and I’m going to be the first person to get that,” said Flater.

Flater says being the first to be experimented on is not how he want to go down in the history books, but is grateful there are options to get his sight back.

“It’s amazing what doctors can do,” he said.

It could be months, it could be years, before Flater gets the new treatment, and until then, he has adjusted to sight in only one eye. He said it does affect him a little, in depth perception.

“I have to watch every corner I go around, so I don’t poke it again,” said Flater, mentioning that he must be careful not to damage the left eye.

Although the physical side is taken care of, the financial side of the treatment is an ongoing thing. Insurance doesn’t cover the eyecare, let alone the gas, food and lodging it took to travel to Kentucky threes times a week, at the beginning of Flater’s healing process.

To help with the mounting expense, a benefit is planned for Saturday, May 15, at Flater’s Resort in Holcombe. The benefit runs from 2-6 p.m., with live music and a chance to win a large variety of baskets.

Flater says he is very grateful to not only his family and friends for their support during this whole time, but also to the community, whether it be from donating to the benefit or for their verbal support as he heals.

“[I’m] lucky to have a good community we live in.”