And the hits
just keep on coming.
Abby had her eye doctor appointment today. We had to set it up after we took her for her school physical and she flunked the eye chart. Today, she was an AWESOME patient. She did all the stuff without getting whiny. She was cooperative, even with three different doctors messing with her face. I was very proud of her behaving so well.
The news is not good. I'm still processing what to think about it.
Her lenses have moved up such that she is looking thru the edge of the lens, which is distorting everything to the point that three different doctors could not refract her eyes. Translation: the specialist can't bend the light enough to help her see.
She is seeing 20/80 in one eye and 20/100 in the other.
So, we walked away with no new prescription because he couldn't get the light to focus, and a recommendation to consult a surgeon to get the lenses removed.
I did not want to think about surgery until she was old enough to decide if she wanted to go thru with it. It seems that it is no longer an option. Surgery or let her go blurry and check her every 6 months to see if the lenses have moved out of the way. I so hate these choices.
When we got home, I asked her, trying to put it in some terms she could understand, if she would like the doctors to fix her eyes like the dentist fixed her teeth. She got a little anxious and said she didn't want the doctors to put out her eyes. Hmm.
So opinions? What is the consensus about eye surgery on a 5 year old?
6 comments:
not sure there's a consensus... but i'd hate for her to lose any more of her vision... did she have a bad experience with the dentist? b/c if she did, she's not going to equate the dentist "fixing" her teeth as a good thing. just my thoughts. i'd want her to be able to see... protecting her vision would be my number one priority. it may be a difficult time period if you do go ahead with the surgery (which i admittedly know nothing about)... but man i'd hate for her to not be able to see...
Did the doctors say they can improve her eyesight? I would hope they could if they are suggesting the operation. They aren't really going to "put out her eyes" are they? Good luck.
No, no.
Put out her eyes?? Really not a question for a stressed person to hear (and if you think about it longer it is a very bazaar notion).
Abby is very smart because she hears stuff (like mom telling someone she would be put out)and equates it readily.)
She will have the lenses out. (like a cateract patient only they cannot sew in a replacement lens (can they?). It would be feasable that contacts be an option to correct vision with reading glasses for close up.
Knowing Abby I would think that she would have a hard time accepting placing something like contacts in her eyes until she gets fed up with the heavy glasses (as Stacy at seven years of age was ready for the contacts and accepted them quickly). Oh except she hated the words BLINK STACY, BLINK!!
Remember Abby doesn't know what an improvement it could be because she has been blurry forever and that is all she knows.
Once she gets used to the contacts routine she will prefer it.
I hate to think she has to go through with this - it will make her grow up quickly. But like Amanda - hate to have her blurry any longer too. I will put her on the list at church for special prayers.
Reminds me of days long ago. What a stressful time for you Stacy. (don't eat like I did and do).
Hugs are with you. Lots of love too.
It would be the same surgery I had where they take out the old and sew in an implant.
I think I would be comfortable letting them get the lenses out and then having glasses. Not sure if I'm comfortable with the implants. I suppose if they do it now, she won't have to have another surgery to implant them later, if that is what she wants. It scares me all around.
And Mandy, I was trying to be very delicate with my explanation. I asked her if the dentist helped her teeth stop hurting, and she said yes. And then I asked if she would like the eye doctor to help her see better. Perhaps she doesn't have a concept of "see better" if everything is always blurry.
What a tough choice. I think if it helps her see go for it.. Better at her age then at our age.. In the long run it will have to happen. I know I am about to face if McKinley will have surgery on is nose I know he will balk but I know it will be best in the long run. Poor kid cant breath. Put you fears aside.. and you will make the right choice..
I can't imagine making a decision on my own child that involves an I.V...but I would want my baby to see. It is going to be tough no matter what you decide...just know that whatever decision you make, it will be a good one. You are the parent. What does Sean say?
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