Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Does she need glasses?

On May 30 we took Lilyana  for her 5 year well  check.  The nurse did a basic eye exam with one of those spoonlike things (hereinafter known as "the spoon").  As Lilyana had her right eye covered we noticed that she was trying to peek around the spoon.  The nurse declared her vision 20/30 and suggested we could take her to an eye doctor.

So I finally made the appointment and we took her in today.  The doctor was very patient with her.  He did her right first and she did well.  Then came the left.  After one or two lines she definitely had some problems.  He then suggested that we dilate her eyes.  He actually wanted us to take her home for a few days, get her used to drops and bring her back but I didn't want to do that.  I just don't have time to be running back and forth.  So he examined her eyes again after dilation and confirmed his original diagnosis.  She is slightly farsighted in her right eye and much more farsighted in her left to the point he feels the left eye is not working as much as the right.  He explained that if left alone the left eye might possibly become lazy and the right become nearsighted.  Or the left would just stop working.  Dan's mother had one of each.  He explained it had most likely been that way since birth.  When we told him she was premature he said it was a risk factor.

So the bottom line is she will get glasses to gradually bring the left in balance with the right.  She'll go back in 8 weeks and before six months to be evaluated and possibly have the power adjusted.  She may not have to wear glasses forever; just until the eyes are working equally together.  We tried to pick the best looking glasses from the ones insurance pays for.  Fortunately insurance should pay for all of it because she doesn't need complicated lenses like Dan and me.

1 comment:

  1. She will do okay I bet. My girls went through this. They were also premies with a family history too. They had to have them at 2, and since there were two of them, it was HORRIBLE! lol They had to look at each other and try to take them off! After the one had to have her glasses replaced the fifth time, we said "no more!" Now they are both farsighted and wear glasses, but when they did wear the glasses as toddlers, it kept them from getting lazy eye.

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