Cedar Ridge High School freshman Ian Hernandez was going for the soccer ball from a throw-in when his Henderson High School opponent’s knee collided with his left eye. Ian, 15, was unconscious for a few minutes, but when he woke up the trainer was looking at him, trying to assess the situation.
Ian was sent to Texas Children’s Hospital for specialized care. Plastic Surgeon Dr. Ibrahim Khansa took Ian to surgery within an hour of arriving at the hospital to save Ian’s vision in the injured eye.
After resting at home for two and a half months, both Ian and Dr. Khansa weren’t sure Ian would be able to play soccer again.
The sign of hope came at his six-week follow-up visit when Ian was able to make his eye move a tiny bit. “That’s all it took to give me a sign of hope,” Khansa said. “It was one of the best days of my professional career.” At each two-week visit, the eye showed more progress. “He has made an incredible recovery,” Khansa said. “The muscle is working pretty much normally.” Ian kept the positive thoughts flowing, even while doing physical and occupational therapies. “He’s a very inspiring young man,” Khansa said. “And I don’t say that lightly.”
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