Those Blue Eyes

Yesterday was a full day. We started off the day with an awesome hour of PT and then returned home to pick up Rob for our venture to northern Va. It was Oia's 6 month follow-up eye appointment with Dr. P, but a little later than 6 months because our recent Botox appointment bumped this eye exam to the back burner.

Anyhow, our concern this visit (and there's always a concern) was the new inward turning of her left eye. Let me remind you that almost one year ago, Oia had surgery on her right eye for the same reason. Left eye one year ago was straight and dominant and Oia preferred to use only the left eye. Her brain was beginning to ignore messages from her right eye because left eye was so dominant, thus making right eye drift inward. We were told around that time that her right eye had very little visual function and that surgery was more for cosmetic reasons than for function. However, Rob and I tried to take that info with a grain of salt because we believed Oia could see out of her right eye better than any eye exam could show. So, after surgery we tackled patching and Atropine drops all in a desperate effort to wake up or save whatever little visual function remained in her right eye.

And thank God we did.

Now, the fact that her left eye, the eye she has always relied on, is intermittently turning inward means that Oia's RIGHT eye is working, seeing, and doing, thus meaning that she is no longer reliant on only one eye. Dr. P said it can be very alarming to parents when the strong eye begins to suddenly change and drift inward from time to time, but this to an ophthalmologist is a good sign. It's a sign of a weak eye growing strong enough to pull the other eye in. A year later, she is using and seeing from BOTH eyes! Amen.

Oia can use both eyes together, as a pair. Just not all the time. The crossing is slight. It is inconsistent. But, it is happening and right now we're kind of happy about it. Sure, in a perfect world, we want those blue eyes of hers to see as a pair, to move together all the time. Heck, in a perfect world, my baby would have never had to get glasses in the first place. But, 3 years later, Oia's eyes are working as best as they can. Her prescription is steady with no change, another good thing. Just as we have to help her body understand how to use her muscles to move appropriately, we too have to do the same with her eye muscles. It's just one of those CP things.

And so, we continue the use of Atropine and patching. For how long.... we'll just take it one day at a time. That seems to be working so far and we are so very thankful. Thankful for two tiny blue eyes that allow our girl to see this crazy, yet beautiful world we live in.