In Orlando, FL, the sun usually shines brightly. But one day, several years ago, I was driving home and suddenly the glare became unbearable. I couldn't see. I had to pull over and dig my darkest sunglasses out of my purse. Even then I could barely make it home. "Cataracts," the doctor diagnosed, though I was only 55. And that wasn't the worst of it. The doctor also discovered scar tissue forming in the back of my eyes. I had diabetic retinopathy-a progressive disease that could leave me totally blind!

It had not been that long ago that my children-Shanaaz and Farzanna, both of whom are doctors, and Fazia, who has an MBA-had suspected that I might have diabetes. I went in to Farzanna's medical office for a blood glucose test. "Your blood sugar is over 400," she said. "You've probably had diabetes for years."Although I started taking oral medication and my blood sugar stabilized, the damage had been done. "Diabetes can age the lenses of the eyes 15 years," an ophthalmologist explained. The cloudy lenses from the cataracts could be removed and replaced with implants. But unfortunately, the retinas could not.

My doctor gave me several laser treatments to try to stem the retinal damage, but within months I could not see at all out of my right eye and the vision in my left eye dropped below 20/200. I was legally blind. I'd always prided myself on being an independent woman. Now I felt utterly helpless, and hopeless.

Eventually, I found my way to Adrian Laviņa, M.D., a West Palm Beach retinal specialist. "Your right eye is too far gone," he said. But my left? "I think I can do some good."

" Do your best," I said, and underwent another round of laser treatments to burn away the damaged capillaries. After that I had a vitrectomy to remove the fluid in my eye, which had turned opaque from all the hemorrhaging.

" Open your eyes," the doctor said when it was over and I lay facedown in the recovery room. Tentatively, I slid my lids open. Light. Color. And then I exclaimed: "Doctor, I can see again!"

Dr. Laviņa had replaced the vitreous fluid in my eye, and after a week's bed rest he declared, "20/30," when I read the eye chart. "Keep your diabetes under control and it should stay that way," he said.

I can't describe how it feels to have the world a bright and happy place again. I can enjoy a sunset and no longer fear the dark, dark night that follows.