The Gift Of Sight Keeps Pilot
Flying
Chris eventually graduated in 2010 with a degree in aviation and joined Chicagoland Aviation , a budding charter flight company based in Romeoville . Matt Zahora , founder of the company , was Chris ’ flight instructor in high school and knew Chris would make a fine Director of Operations for the company . “ I brought Chris aboard because not only did I think he would do a good job , I think he ’ s a good person ,” Zahora said . “ Chris eventually helped grow the company from two planes to an entire charter fleet .”
Chris Schlemmer always knew he wanted to be a pilot . Sitting next to his mother on a trip to visit relatives in St . Louis , he told her that one day he wanted to be at the controls of the plane as they made that trip together . Unfortunately , his dream was put in jeopardy when he later learned that he might lose the most important prerequisite for any pilot : his eyesight .
In 2006 , as Chris was about to graduate from Hinsdale Central High School , he was diagnosed with keratoconus , a degenerative eye disease that causes the cornea to thin or bulge into a cone-like shape , resulting in distorted and blurred vision .
“ I was shocked , but the news didn ’ t stop me ,” Chris said . “ I was determined to pursue aviation as a career and started a program in aviation management at Southern Illinois University in the summer immediately following graduation .”
Chris managed his keratoconus with corrective lenses as he trained and eventually received his commercial pilot certificate . However , in 2008 he was put under ‘ special issuance ’ for FAA medical that required his case be reviewed every year .
However , heading into the 2014 FAA vision exam was a scary time for Chris . His license required a first-class FAA medical clearance with 20 / 20 corrected vision . “ I was now wearing glasses , soft contacts and gas permeable contacts on top of those to pass the test ,” he said . “ I knew something more had to be done or I wouldn ’ t be able to fly anymore .”
He turned to Elmer Tu , M . D ., at the University of Illinois at Chicago to discuss the possibility of a cornea transplant . Dr . Tu warned Chris that if his body rejected the cornea , he would never fly again . Chris took two weeks of soul-searching and careful consideration , but ultimately decided his need to fly was greater than his fear of the unknown .
In December 2014 , he had the transplant , thanks to a donated cornea provided through Eversight Illinois . After two weeks of being ‘ grounded ’ as pilots say , Chris could put in a contact to correct his vision to 20 / 20 and return to the skies .
Chris ’ right eye is now free of keratoconus and his dream of flying is once again a reality . “ I ’ ll always be grateful to my donor ,” he said . “ If it wasn ’ t for their gift , I wouldn ’ t be doing what I love to do .”
“ I could still pass the medical exams , but it was getting harder and harder each year as my disease progressed ,” says Chris . “ It was especially difficult to see out of my right eye . I knew it was only a matter of time before it started to affect my piloting .”