Appleby-El told a nurse at the North Branch Correctional Institution in Cumberland that his retina was detached, and he needed to be seen by an ophthalmologist. It was, he said, a medical emergency. But prison medical staff did not immediately treat it like one.

It would be nearly a year until Appleby-El was finally seen by an ophthalmologist, in March 2017. That doctor diagnosed him with a complete retinal detachment in his right eye and a retinal tear in his left eye. He was then sent for a second opinion — but the diagnosis was unchanged.

Fifteen months after first complaining of a loss of eyesight, Appleby-El finally underwent laser surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in August 2017. The surgery was successful — he regained 50% to 60% of his vision — but it required extensive follow-up care to guard against infections and complications.

Appleby-El languished in prison without any post-surgery care. His medication was withheld. The pressure in his right eye became critically high. Eventually, the optic nerve was destroyed. Appleby-El is now completely and permanently blind in his right eye.

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