SEEnic tour at Aoraki Mt Cook gives back sight
<p>An Australian woman got far more than she bargained for last Saturday (1 October) when an Argo tour of Mt Cook&rsquo;s Tasman Valley, delivered much more than the promised adventure in a majestic environment. <br />
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Mrs Joan Gluer was travelling with her daughter when they decided to join a Tasman Valley Tours (4WD &amp; Argo) in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park. Mrs Gluer (age 77) got bounced around a fair bit but loved the trip and just loved her tour guide (Graeme Slatter) who she nicknamed &lsquo;Handsome Harry&rsquo; &ldquo;I liked his moustache!&rdquo; <br />
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But best of all, after returning to the Hermitage, she found she could see clearly from her bad eye which previously had very limited vision.<br />
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&ldquo;We got a few spins in on the Argo and off we went over rocky terrain, up and down like yo-yos &ndash; lucky we had no milk!&rdquo; said Mrs Gluer. &ldquo;After the glacier walk that&rsquo;s part of the tour, Handsome Harry let me sit in the front &ndash; it was fabulous. We got back to the hotel and had a coffee and short rest. Then I realized, hang on a minute, I can see!&rdquo;<br />
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&rdquo;It was a bit like looking through a dirty window, but I could see. We don&rsquo;t know if it was the jolting about or not but it&rsquo;s just amazing for me... It didn&rsquo;t fix my hearing though.&rdquo;<br />
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Mrs Gluer&rsquo;s daughter Bernadette said her mother was almost crying with happiness that she could see. &ldquo;I WAS crying with happiness,&rdquo; said Mrs Gluer.<br />
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Mrs Gluer&rsquo;s eye trouble started about three years ago when she lost 75% vision in her left eye. Following several uncomfortable procedures, including needles in her eye, her sight only improved to 50% vision with no centre (tunnel) vision. Further needle treatment was to be undergone after her return from New Zealand but that now seems unnecessary.<br />
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In layman&rsquo;s terms Mrs Gluer has blood blisters obstructing around one third of the back of her eye which cause black spots in her vision.<br />
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To test the newly found sight, the women went straight to see Mount Cook Magic, a 3D movie showing in The Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre at The Hermitage, (3D effects require vision in both eyes) and sure enough both eyes were working.<br />
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&ldquo;I nearly jumped out of my skin a dozen times, I absolutely loved it,&rdquo; said Mrs Gluer who was able to see the full 3D effect clearly.<br />
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Several days later, Mrs Gluer and her daughter are in Dunedin and Mrs Gluer is still enjoying clear vision without the black spots.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I really think we&rsquo;ve fixed it. I think this is permanent and I&rsquo;m delighted.&rdquo;<br />
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For more information visit: <a href="http://www.mountcooktours.co.nz/">www.mountcooktours.co.nz</a></p>