{"id":81193,"date":"2025-04-12T09:55:37","date_gmt":"2025-04-12T15:55:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=81193"},"modified":"2025-12-31T08:32:00","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T15:32:00","slug":"photographer-sees-his-way-to-a-clear-future-after-nearly-losing-his-sight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/photographer-sees-his-way-to-a-clear-future-after-nearly-losing-his-sight\/","title":{"rendered":"Photographer sees his way to a clear future after nearly losing his sight"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><figure id=\"attachment_81238\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-81238\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-81238\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/03\/12151520\/AD-Adonye-Jaja-uchealth-web.webp\" alt=\"Adonye Jaja is a renowned wedding photographer who relies on his vision to capture beautiful moments at weddings around Colorado and the world. An advanced case of chronic sinusitis threatened to blind Adonye on the eve of his 40th birthday. Photo by Willie Peterson, for UCHealth.\" width=\"640\" height=\"433\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-81238\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Adonye Jaja is a renowned wedding photographer who relies on his vision to capture beautiful moments at weddings around Colorado and the world. An advanced case of chronic sinusitis threatened to blind Adonye on the eve of his 40th birthday. Photo by Willie Peterson, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If you closed your eyes, made a wish and blew out some candles on your last birthday, Adonye Jaja can relate.<\/p>\n<p>On his 40<sup>th<\/sup> birthday, he could only close one eye, as his right one was patched while he awaited surgery that evening to save his vision through the removal of an abscess that was putting extreme pressure on his eye socket.<\/p>\n<p>And while he\u2019d have to wait a few days to enjoy any birthday cake, he did have a big wish: relief from a year of mysterious and maddening health problems that had left him feeling rotten, struggling to breathe and now, fearing he might lose sight in his dominant eye.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was miserable,\u201d said Adonye, now 42.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had bouts of what was diagnosed as asthma where I couldn\u2019t get enough oxygen. I was on a nebulizer, steroids and inhalers; I was doing immunotherapy, getting shots and taking antibiotics. I had a cupboard full of medications and over-the-counter drugs that I called my personal \u2018sick bay.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was trying everything, and the doctors were trying everything, and nothing was working.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And now, his ability to see was at risk.<\/p>\n<p>The thought of losing vision would terrify anyone.<\/p>\n<p>For Adonye, the stakes were particularly high since he relies on his eyes to make a living.<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-youtube su-u-responsive-media-yes\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"400\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3mCsOKJuPZE?mute=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture\" title=\"The Visionary | Adonye Jajat | Harry Mack x UCHealth | Ep. 027\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h2><strong>Renowned photographer travels the globe <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Adonye is a <a id=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/adonyejaja.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">professional wedding photographer<\/a> who travels around Colorado, the U.S. and the world with his camera equipment and his unique vision. He has a distinct flair for finding the right composition, the precise lighting and the perfect setting to capture memories, moods and moments for couples on their special days.<\/p>\n<p>Well known in the industry for producing photos that are fine art, and recognized by Harper\u2019s Bazaar as one of the <a id=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harpersbazaar.com\/wedding\/planning\/g7155\/best-wedding-photographers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">top wedding photographers in the world<\/a>, Adonye\u2019s talents are sought out by those wanting something a little different than the traditional wedding shots.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI try to find little parts of day that are unique to a couple but aren\u2019t common. I notice things other people don\u2019t \u2013 something others might miss but that clients would appreciate. It\u2019s a way to create a peaceful, fun and happy memory,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t want it to be just pictures that anyone can take. I try to make art that fits who they are as a couple, and that could be shown as a stand-alone piece. That\u2019s the highest compliment for me: that people who don\u2019t even know anyone in the photo tell me, \u2018I would put that on my wall.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_81235\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-81235\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-81235\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/03\/12151512\/Adonye-Jaja-his-photography2-web.webp\" alt=\"Adonye loves capturing unique images like this artistic shot from the wedding of bride and groom, Dana and Preston, at the Denver Botanic Gardens. When Adonye's sight was threatened after a severe case of sinusitis, he feared he would lose his vision and his ability to do his job. Photo courtesy of Adonye Jaja Photography.\" width=\"640\" height=\"639\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-81235\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Adonye loves capturing unique images like this artistic shot from the wedding of bride and groom, Dana and Preston, at the Denver Botanic Gardens. When Adonye&#8217;s sight was threatened after a severe case of sinusitis, he feared he would lose his vision and his ability to do his job. Photo courtesy of Adonye Jaja Photography.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>First, he served his country through AmeriCorps, then he discovered eclectic passions for photography, fly fishing and swing dancing<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Born in Lagos, Nigeria and raised in Georgia and Kentucky, Adonye found himself in Denver in 2006 working as a young<a href=\"https:\/\/americorps.gov\/serve\/fit-finder?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=CPC&amp;utm_campaign=National_Campaign&amp;utm_content=Search_Ad-\"> AmeriCorps <\/a>member. The federal program provides volunteer opportunities around the country, and Adonye spent several busy years serving our country. He helped Hurricane Katrina victims rebuild after the 2005 flood, provided disaster relief assistance around the U.S. and served food in various urban soup kitchens.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: var(--color__text_main);font-family: var(--font__400)\">Through a friend, he became interested in photography, and in 2009, he started his company,\u00a0<\/span><a style=\"background-color: #ffffff;font-family: var(--font__400)\" href=\"https:\/\/adonyejaja.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Adonye Jaja Photography<\/a><span style=\"color: var(--color__text_main);font-family: var(--font__400)\">.<\/span>\u00a0He has been taking pictures ever since, building up his clientele through word of mouth and an impressive portfolio.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_81234\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-81234\" style=\"width: 450px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-81234\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/03\/12151507\/Adonye-Jaja-fishing-web.webp\" alt=\"Adonye has diverse passions from photography to swing dancing. He also loves fly fishing. Photo courtesy of Adonye Jaja.\" width=\"450\" height=\"586\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-81234\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Adonye has diverse passions from photography to swing dancing. He also loves fly fishing. Here, he shows off a fish he caught (then released) from the Blue River in Colorado. Photo courtesy of Adonye Jaja.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI think I like to shoot weddings, in particular, because I\u2019m sappy,\u201d Adonye said with a big smile. \u201cI love \u2018love.\u2019 I also really like people, and once I started doing it, I was more \u2018me\u2019 than I had ever been before.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Adonye has done wedding shoots from Canada to Mexico to the Great Wall of China, as well as many in the Colorado mountains, where he gets to enjoy another of his passions: fly fishing.<\/p>\n<p>Since being introduced to the hobby five years ago, Adonye says he has become obsessed with the sport. It allows him to fiddle and fuss with tools such as his rod, reel, line and lure to catch and release fish in a similar way that he uses his camera lens and lights to get just the right shot. He also enjoys the serenity and beauty of a mountain river or stream.<\/p>\n<p>His love of fly fishing is second only to his enthusiasm for swing dancing, and he is a popular member of the Metro Denver swing dance community, known for his teaching and mentoring. Swing dancing originated in Harlem in the 1920s and is most famous for the Lindy Hop, a dance which matches a swing jazz beat that became popular in the 1940s.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is a truly authentic response to American jazz music from Harlem. It\u2019s great music, and it\u2019s a good way to get you moving and interact with others in a fun subculture. It\u2019s good, clean fun and a good time.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Adonye faces health problems and breathing issues<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>All of Adonye\u2019s pursuits \u2013 from dancing to fishing to photography \u2013 were overshadowed in 2021 when he was immersed in a serious and prolonged health struggle. What started out as a mild cold turned into a 12-month ordeal when his life was punctuated with bouts of wheezing and shortness of breath so severe he was in and out of the ER, as medical staff tried to pinpoint a cause.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI started to have a cough and then post-nasal drip. I tried lots of meds and went to an ENT and other doctors, and they were all trying to figure it out. Was it allergies? An infection? No one knew.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He was told he was allergic to \u201calmost everything\u201d and started immunotherapy treatments. He was also told he had allergy-induced asthma and began using inhalers and medication. Nebulizers, steroids, antibiotics and OTC drugs were part of his daily and nightly regimen.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEverything was mitigating it, but nothing was solving it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>He couldn\u2019t dance and was having trouble sleeping. Plus, the litany of medications was taking a toll on his physical and emotional wellbeing. He was trying to stay positive and continued his quest to root out the source of his problems, but he wasn\u2019t getting many answers.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, in August 2022, his good friend Adrienne Reynolds accompanied him to an ENT visit and advocated for him to get a CT scan. At this point, Adonye was having headaches and pain behind his right eye.<\/p>\n<p>Reynolds, a nurse at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-longs-peak-hospital\/\">UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital<\/a>, met Adonye while swing dancing in 2012, and he has been one of her \u201cnearest and dearest friends ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe is so grounded and so kind,\u201d she said. \u201cThe man is phenomenal. He is a leader in the swing dance community where he is welcoming to everyone and such a great facilitator. He\u2019s so willing to celebrate other people\u2019s accomplishments.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She noticed him out of breath and struggling for air during swing dance events and was worried that his polite demeanor and laid-back style at medical appointments were deterrents to him gaining traction on the cause of his ailment.<\/p>\n<p>He got some answers when two CT scans found a large abscess in his sinuses \u2013 a sure sign that something was wrong. Our sinuses are located between the eyes, the cheeks and the forehead.<\/p>\n<p>When clinicians review a CT scan of this area, in general, they look for:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bone showing up as white.<\/li>\n<li>Air appears black (which is how healthy sinuses should appear since the cavities should be filled with air free of obstruction).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>But Adonye\u2019s sinuses showed up as cloudy and gray. What was this abscess causing him so much trouble?<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A medical crisis in Jackson Hole, Wyoming<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Unfortunately, before he could follow up with more medical care, a wedding event in Jackson Hole was on his schedule for the next day. He made the trip to Wyoming and in the hours before the rehearsal dinner, he tried to get his mind off his pain and worry with some fly fishing in the Gros Ventre River.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m fishing, and I have this horrible headache, and I realize I can\u2019t fish anymore, which is a big thing for me to say. My head is hurting so bad.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A nap in his hotel didn\u2019t relieve his symptoms, and when he woke up his condition had worsened. His right eye was so swollen it was protruding from its socket.<\/p>\n<p>Friend and photography colleague Jeff Tidwell rushed him to the local hospital, where another CT scan of Adonye\u2019s right eye socket and surrounding area showed an abscess so alarming that the attending physician warned him he was in danger of losing his eye unless he got emergency surgery.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy livelihood is photography, and they\u2019re telling me I\u2019m going to lose my eye,\u201d Adonye remembered.<\/p>\n<p>With the help of Tidwell and other friends who took over wedding photography duties, Adonye boarded a medical plane that transported him to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-university-of-colorado-hospital-uch\/\">UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital,<\/a> where the doctors in Jackson Hole felt he would get the best care.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was worried about him that whole weekend, and I was so happy he was getting help,\u201d Tidwell said.<\/p>\n<p>Later, to thank his friend for taking over the photography duties that weekend, Adonye surprised Tidwell with a vintage camera from London.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s so thoughtful,\u201d Tidwell said. \u201cHe\u2019s very well-known in the photography community and yet he\u2019s humble and unassuming.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Adonye&#8217;s sister, Ibikiri Benson-Jaja, agreed that behind her brother\u2019s stoic exterior is a man with a big heart: \u201cHe loves hard and cares deeply for those people around him. He\u2019s a phenomenal photographer whose humility sometimes masks the success he\u2019s had in his field.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_81237\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-81237\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-81237\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/03\/12151518\/Adonye-with-camera-and-peaches-web.webp\" alt=\"Adonye was in Wyoming enjoying some fishing and preparing to photograph a wedding in Jackson Hole when he learned an abscess behind his eye was so severe that it might blind him. After an ER visit in Wyoming, Adonye had to be transferred via a medical flight to Colorado, where doctors at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital saved Adonye's sight. Photo by Willie Peterson, for UCHealth.\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-81237\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Adonye was in Wyoming enjoying some fishing and preparing to photograph a wedding in Jackson Hole when he learned an abscess behind his eye was so severe that it might blind him. After an ER visit in Wyoming, Adonye had to be transferred via a medical flight to Colorado, where doctors at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital saved Adonye&#8217;s sight. Photo by Willie Peterson, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>Back in Denver, awaiting eye surgery<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Meanwhile, when Adonye arrived in Denver, he was placed on antibiotics and his infected eye was patched. At this point, he was experiencing double vision as well.<\/p>\n<p>After a few days of trying to fight his infection through intravenous drugs, his UCHealth care team determined that he needed surgery.<\/p>\n<p>During the four-hour operation, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/provider\/ash-khanwalkar-md\/\">Dr. Ashoke (&#8220;Ash&#8221;) Khanwalkar<\/a>, UCHealth ear, nose and throat specialist, opened up Adonye\u2019s sinus cavities and removed diseased and swollen tissue, polyps, mucus and other debris that had become trapped there. The sinuses under his right cheek had been under such severe pressure that the bone was exposed, and the infection had pushed against his eye socket.<\/p>\n<p>The culprit was a rare and incredibly advanced case of chronic sinusitis, coupled with allergies and asthma. The sinus infection had produced an inordinate amount of mucus over many months that had become trapped inside Adonye\u2019s sinuses.<\/p>\n<p>Khanwalkar believes that Adonye\u2019s body likely reacted to allergies (possibly to fungus) by producing numerous nasal polyps that clogged his sinus cavities. The longer the area was clogged, the greater the infection grew, and it began to infect the surrounding tissue.<\/p>\n<p>To make matters worse, with no escape route for the sinuses to drain because the polyps were obstructing any exit through his nose or mouth, the material had pushed into the path of least resistance, which in Adonye\u2019s case was his right eye.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor it to become this bad can be very frightening and painful for the patient,\u201d said Khanwalkar, <a id=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/som.cuanschutz.edu\/Profiles\/Faculty\/Profile\/36730\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">also an assistant professor of otolaryngology<\/a> at the <a id=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.cuanschutz.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">University of Colorado School of Medicine.<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Why does chronic sinusitis develop?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cWe don\u2019t yet fully understand all the details of the development of chronic sinusitis,\u201d Khanwalkar said. \u201cIt\u2019s an inflammatory process of the sinus and nasal airways, perhaps initially triggered as an aberrant reaction to certain antigens when the lining breaks down, for example, during a viral infection. For some people, this transitions from an acute infection to a self-sustained inflammatory process.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor someone who is a photographer, it was very meaningful being able to help him and address a chronic condition that, if left unchecked, could have affected his quality of life, his vision and his livelihood,\u201d Khanwalkar said.<\/p>\n<p>Adonye felt sinus relief immediately after the surgery, although his double vision lasted about a month or so. But he is not cured. The surgery was a \u201creset\u201d as it cleared out polyps and other debris and created a wider passageway in his sinuses so they will flush easier. His condition is chronic and during the past two years, he uses anti-inflammatory injections twice monthly to manage his body\u2019s inflammatory drive.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_81269\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-81269\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-81269\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/03\/14183431\/Adonye-dancing-color-photo-tiny.webp\" alt=\"In addition to photography and fishing, Adonye loves swing dancing. Here, he and his dance partner dazzle a crowd. Photo courtesy of Adonye Jaja.\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-81269\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">In addition to photography and fishing, Adonye loves swing dancing. Here, he and his dance partner dazzle a crowd. Photo courtesy of Adonye Jaja.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cNot only did UCHealth save my eye, but I feel great and back to normal,\u201d he said. \u201cNo more asthma attacks and no other issues.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Birthday wishes for Adonye<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Reflecting on his 40<sup>th<\/sup> birthday, when he lay in a hospital bed waiting for surgery, Adonye said he realized the importance of supportive friends and family in both his personal and professional life.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m always under a lot of pressure, much of it self-induced, to create, and create with my right eye. All of that, compounded with the emotional pressure of what I was going through and thinking my career could end \u2026 That was a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As a surprise for him that day, UCHealth nurses put up birthday banners for him, and out-of-town family members, in town for what they thought would be his 40<sup>th<\/sup> birthday celebration, showed up in his hospital room instead praying for his recovery. Friends from his church and swing dance communities arrived as well.<\/p>\n<p>His response? After surgery, he climbed out of bed and, in his hospital gown, performed a quick, albeit slow \u201cswingout,\u201d or iconic Lindy Hop move, to mark the day. He would host a pig roast a week or so later at a belated party that celebrated his birthday and a whole lot more.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHis birthday celebration was lit!\u201d said his sister Ibikiri. \u201cThe place was packed with his friends, and our whole family flew in. It was so much fun. It was amazing to see that even in the face of less-than-ideal circumstances and the pain, he chose to not dwell on his current state, but to celebrate his life, eyepatch and all!<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHis friends rallied around and pitched in to make the night a success. There was a whole roasted pig, tacos with tortillas made from scratch, desserts, lots of tears, lots of dancing and lots of laughter. You could really feel the love.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The support from his friends and family is not lost on Adonye.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I was in the hospital and visiting hours were over, I had dreams visualizing what I wanted to do in the future and what I wanted my work to look like moving forward. I have grown my business since then, but I haven\u2019t done it alone. I have my friends to lean in a wonderful artistic community. I had the ability to dream where I wanted my work to go, and I\u2019m excited to see that coming to fruition.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you closed your eyes, made a wish and blew out some candles on your last birthday, Adonye Jaja can relate. On his 40th birthday, he could only close one eye, as his right one was patched while he awaited surgery that evening to save his vision through the removal of an abscess that was [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2357,"featured_media":81238,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[338,9138,1112,848],"class_list":["post-81193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-allergy-care-and-immunology","tag-ear-nose-and-throat-care","tag-ear-nose-throat-care-otolaryngology","tag-eye-care-ophthalmology"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - 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