NEED TO KNOW
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McEwen Baker has had 24 eye surgeries and is now facing blindness.
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The 26-year-old shared her journey with PEOPLE, discussing her struggles with progressive vision loss.
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After documenting her experience on social media, she is creating an online community.
A TikToker named McEwen Baker is candidly discussing her journey of losing her sight at just 26. She aims to highlight the challenges she faces and connect with others as her vision declines.
Hailing from Chicago, Baker, who works as an actress and bridal stylist, began feeling discomfort in her eyes at the age of 2. Initially, her pediatrician dismissed the symptoms as seasonal allergies, but her mother insisted on seeing a specialist. Fortunately, they sought expertise from the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute, which required traveling from their home in Versailles, Kentucky.
Baker recounts that her mother had a strong intuition, feeling that something was amiss. After those first few visits, she was diagnosed with uveitis, a condition marked by eye inflammation, which eventually led to glaucoma when Baker was just 6 years old.
Throughout her childhood, she faced numerous eye treatments. However, a significant setback occurred at age 15 due to a traumatic accident affecting her right eye.
In 2017 and 2020, she underwent partial cornea transplants for her right eye, but these were only temporary solutions. By 2022, doctors informed her that another transplant wouldn’t be advisable.
“They told me my vision would keep worsening, and doing another transplant on my right eye was too risky. That was pretty devastating at the time,” she said.
Baker was declared legally blind in her right eye in 2022, only able to perceive light and shadows. Although it was a tough adjustment, she managed to accept the gradual loss of her vision, continuing her medications and relying on her left eye for daily tasks like reading and driving.
Yet she realized things weren’t improving. “I began to understand that this isn’t going to end — and I found myself going through medical trauma over things that were beyond my control,” she admitted.
Then, in March 2023, everything changed dramatically for Baker. She recalls one of the scariest mornings of her life: waking up on St. Patrick’s Day and realizing she couldn’t see the light on her ceiling. “It was like waking up in a fog,” she remembers, and later discovered her left eye’s cornea was failing, just like her right one.
Baker learned that this issue was known as corneal edema, a condition she would have to manage indefinitely.
“When those cells die and swell, it creates a haze that blocks light,” she explained. Initially, she experienced about 30 minutes of blindness each morning that would fade as the day progressed. But inevitably, that duration lengthened, leaving her without sight for extended periods.
“The situation is deteriorating faster than we anticipated. I never expected I wouldn’t see for entire days,” she reflected.
Baker’s longest stretch without vision occurred in August 2025, which affected her mental health significantly. “This transition in my life has been challenging,” she said.
To cope, she began seeing a therapist and has sought support groups to help with her adjustment, especially as a newcomer in Chicago.
Feeling isolated, Baker decided to share her story on TikTok, speaking openly about her struggles. In a tearful post from August 19, she expressed her fears and asked for resources and support from others who might be going through similar experiences.
“I’m 26 and actively going blind… and some days it’s really impacting my life in a major way,” she shared. “I have dreams that I feel powerless to pursue right now, and that’s really tough.”
In another video, Baker illustrated a challenging day living with progressive vision loss, noting she couldn’t see herself in the mirror or read messages, and struggled to recognize objects in her apartment.
Despite her fluctuating sight, Baker emphasizes that she hasn’t lost all vision yet. She’s been surprised by the connections she’s made online in recent months and appreciates the support as she moves forward.
“I was overwhelmed in such a positive way,” she said, expressing gratitude. “It felt like I finally found the brighter side of the internet.”
Baker acknowledges that grief is a complex process. “I still have days where I feel angry or sad, wrestling with the reality of my situation. Yet, I think I’m moving toward acceptance,” she concludes.
