Sunday, September 14, 2008

New Development

This month is definitely turning out to be the craziest of the year so far!

I have a ton of pictures of things and events we've attended in the last two weeks but they'll have to wait until the next post...

But there's a new development at our household.

Rylee had to get glasses!

I had been noticing her right eye slightly moving inward towards her nose when she focuses on something (mostly when she's focusing on me). It's actually been happening for about 4 weeks now. I pointed it out to Rodney two weeks ago and it took him a while to see what I was talking about but he did finally see it.

Anyway, I made an appointment with a pediatric eye doctor that my pediatrician recommended bright and early Friday morning. The doctor's assistant did a few tests and told me she could see what I was talking about. The doctor came in and did some of the same tests and a few different ones as well. They said they needed to dialate her eyes to see if it was a glasses issue or something else more complicated. They doctor told me that they were having a hard time recognizing the problem in Rylee because she was so intelligent (they really did say that!) that she was noticing the problem and immediately correcting it. She said that kids Rylee's age are not able to control the reflex that forces their eyes to move inward but somehow she's figured out that it's happening and she's learned to control it.

So they dialated her eyes and we watched The Jungle Book for half an hour. The doctor came back in, put a big mask on and did a few more eye tests. She confirmed that Rylee would need glasses and proceeded to find her prescription. She said that it was really great that I noticed this in her so early because most people don't notice until their children are 5 or 6 years old. She commented that because I caught it so early we might have a chance to correct it and keep it from turning into Amblyopia. We go back in early December to check the progress - if nothing has changed, she will have to do patch therapy and maybe even have surgery.

I asked if this could have been caused by her hair in her face (the swoopy bangs) or sitting too close to the tv and she dispelled both of those things saying they were myths. She said that some people are just born with eye issues and that's just the way it is. It's very weird for me though because I have always had better than perfect vision and so has Rodney. We know nothing about any of this!

What seems so weird to me is that her prescription is REALLY strong. Her doctor said she's farsighted in both eyes but her right eye is significantly worse than the left. Even the optician where I got her glasses mentioned that the prescription was strong for her age.

It seems crazy to me because she's never squinted, never had trouble recognizing things, never not known a color ... she's known her colors, numbers and shapes since before she was even a year old. How could she have been seeing things when her prescription is so strong? Does anyone have experience with this? I just don't understand how she wasn't falling flat on her face without the glasses.

Does this mean no more ballet or tumbling? Is gymnastics totally out of her future?

Someone help!

Anyway, I bought her the glasses that I thought fit her (and our) personalities the most. A pair that goes with her wardrobe well, I think.

These pictures are from my friend Tricia's daughter, Kelsey's birthday party at Oogles 'n' Googles.

(Her eyes are still dialated - they said they would be for about 3 days)











I totally cried in the doctor's office. I'm crazy, I know!

5 comments:

The Kelley's said...

Poor Rylee! But those glasses are so cute on her. Remember this: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Rylee has a slight problem with her vision, not with the rest of her body. She can still do her ballet and tumbling and everything else she loves to do. Hopefully, her vision will be corrected and she will not have to wear glasses. If not, she can always wear contacts when she is older. Heather Whitestone is deaf and is one of the best ballet dancers I've seen. Ray Charles was blind but could really play that piano. Rylee will still be great at whatever she does and I know she won't let anything ever stop her.

Jessica said...

I think she looks adorable!

Michelle said...

I started wearing glasses at 4 years old, and even then, I remember not telling my parents I couldn't see anything. I really didn't know that wasn't right. I just assumed that everyone saw things blurry like I did.

I still wear contacts (special ordered in the strongest script available) and glasses occasionally. I've considered LASIK recently, but the thought scares me.

I'm sure when Rylee is old enough, the medical practice will have advanced enough to correct her eye problems invasively.

The glasses are so cute thought!

Steph said...

thanks guys! your comments help, they really do!

Unknown said...

I'm delurking here to say my 3 yo has something similar going on. Eyesight appears to be good, but she's got a bit of lazy eye (can't remember medical term) w/her left eye. We've had to put an eye patch on her right eye for first an hour, and now 2 hours, a day for over a year now. She's generally a trooper about it, but she doesn't love it and it's tough sometimes to get her to put it on. Next appt in December to see what progress is. She may need surgery or glasses if it doesn't improve. So I hear ya on feeling bad about it and stressing, but I'm sure Sydney and Rylee will be fine. So good that you caught it so early. Rylee's glasses are so cute, you did a great job picking them out!