Injured Long Valley Marine to Undergo Eye Surgery For Third Time

Long Valley resident Tim Fallon, 2nd Lt. Marine who was by an IED, will have a third surgery on his eyes at Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, MD on Thursday, Dec. 16.

Fallon, who is now sight-impaired after being hit with shrapnel from the explosion, has already had one surgery on each eye since arriving back in the U.S. on Nov. 21.

"The pressure in both eyes has fallen, and that's not a good thing," said Tim's father, Chris Fallon. "It's also very painful and the doctors feel there is an urgency to operate on the right eye at this time."

A gas bubble is currently preserving the structure in each eye, which was manually placed behind the eye by doctors during the first two surgeries. Now that the pressure of those gas bubbles has dropped, they will be replaced with an oil that is intended to mimic and sustain the structure of the eye.

The urgency to operate on the right eye is due to the fact that it is the stronger of the two eyes, and the quick action could preserve some of Fallon's vision.

"[Tim] is certainly saddened by it," Chris Fallon said. "And if you know Tim, he's not a very patient person; he doesn't like sitting still, so he just wants to get it over with."

The doctors working with Fallon say it is still unpredictable what sight, if any, will return.

If you'd like to send cards or letters to Tim Fallon, please forward them to:

Chris Fallon
Finance Department
St Joseph Medical Center
7601 Osler Drive
Towson, Maryland 21204