Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a former NAVY SEAL who lost his right eye in Afghanistan, announced on Saturday that he had undergone surgery this week due to a problem in his other eye – and that he would be effective for about a month. ‘
Crenshaw, 37, a Houston Republican, tweeted a statement and said that a few days ago he had noticed in his vision some dark, vague spots, “which seemed extraordinary.”
He sought medical help on Thursday and an ophthalmologist informed him that the retina in his left eye was dislocated.
“This is a frightening prediction for someone with one eye and the nature of the injuries I sustained in Afghanistan,” wrote Crenshaw, who served in the U.S. Navy from 2006-2016 and retired as a lieutenant commander.
He said the IED explosion in Helmand province in 2012 left him with a ‘half good eye’, and that there was always the possibility that the consequences of the damage would reappear.
“It seems to be exactly what happened,” he said.
The explosion injuries, which occurred during Crenshaw’s third deployment, initially caused total blindness, but he gained sight in his remaining eye and performed two more duties.
He had emergency surgery at the VA Medical Center in Houston on Friday.
“During the surgery, they put a gas bubble in my eye that serves as a bandage for my retina,” he said. “It means I have to be face down for the next week or so, and can’t see anything.”
Crenshaw said he was probably not off social media except for updating his health when he recovered at his home in Houston with his wife, Tara.
“I’ve been through worse before, and I will go through it,” Crenshaw wrote.
However, he added: “A few prayers that my vision will return to normal and that I will fully recover will not be harmed and will be greatly appreciated.”
Crenshaw won a second term in Congress in November, beating Democratic challenger Sima Ladjevardian.