Let’s be honest—no one expects to end up in an operating room because of a Christmas decoration. But that’s exactly what happened to Jared Trujillo, a New Mexico dad who found himself fighting for his vision after a freak accident with a dog-shaped holiday prop went wildly wrong.
Trujillo, 45, had been setting up his annual Christmas display—a tradition he takes seriously—when a metal piece from a decorative dog snapped back and smacked him directly in the eye. At first, it didn’t seem like a big deal.
A scratch, maybe. Nothing a few eye drops and time couldn’t fix. But within days, the pain escalated. We’re talking searing, relentless, “I-can’t-sleep-through-this” pain.
Turns out, it wasn’t just a scratch. Doctors discovered the lens inside his eye had dislocated. That’s the part that sits behind your pupil and helps focus light. Trujillo had to undergo surgery to replace it in February 2025. But the pain didn’t stop there. In fact, things got worse.
His eye became severely bloodshot, constantly tearing, and just plain miserable. It wasn’t until two months later that doctors finally uncovered the full extent of the damage—his cornea, the clear dome at the front of the eye, had been so severely compromised that it required a transplant.
Without it, Trujillo could’ve gone permanently blind in that eye.
He went under the knife for the transplant, which typically lasts about two hours, and received donor tissue—yes, corneas come from deceased donors. Recovery wasn’t simple. Trujillo later developed glaucoma, a common complication from such surgeries, which causes pressure to build inside the eye and can lead to vision loss if untreated. He now uses daily eyedrops to manage it.
Looking back, Trujillo can’t believe how fast everything spiraled from festive joy to surgical recovery. “I never expected a Christmas decoration would lead to an eye transplant,” he said. “It was like torture. My eye would just drip tears and burn.”
Now, with his vision saved but his experience seared into memory, he’s spreading a different kind of holiday message: wear eye protection. Always. Whether it’s sunglasses, goggles, whatever—just don’t assume your holiday lights are harmless. He learned that lesson the hard way.
So if you’re climbing a ladder this season or adjusting an inflatable reindeer that won’t cooperate, maybe slip on some safety glasses. Your future self—and your eyes—will thank you.
