Cancer Drug for Vision

Jennifer Matthews: Vicky Garza's world changed overnight. Vicky Garza: I would see just shady in my left eye, it's like looking through a fog, almost like a haze, she said. Jennifer Matthews: Vicky has Uveitis, an inflammation of the eye that can come on suddenly with drastic effects. Vicky Garza: There were times I would grab someone else's child thinking it was mine. Jennifer Matthews: Vicky tried eye drops, injections, even steroids. Her vision got worse. Then Dr. Debra Goldstein gave her a drug that's showing success. Dr. Debra Goldstein: It can take someone from legal blindness to functional vision to the point that they can have a normal life and do their job. Jennifer Matthews: Chlorambucil is a cancer drug that works on the immune system to reduce inflammation. Long-term use can actually cause cancer. Dr. Goldstein uses it a different way. Dr. Debra Goldstein: What we found was that with a short-term, high-dose treatment, we were able to put patients into long-term remission. Jennifer Matthews: On average, patients went from only seeing this -- to reading this. Patients with the most improvement even read this. And it lasted. Dr. Debra Goldstein: We've got follow-up, an average of about four years, but up to 25 years, patients staying in remission, off all medications. Jennifer Matthews: Vicky is still on the drug. Vicky Garza: I'm just hoping that I go into remission because I intend to get on with my life. Jennifer Matthews: Because this mother of two has plenty she needs to see. This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.