Confusion - Eyes

[Guest guest]

Hi Pam,

Congratulations to Darby (and you) for beating the doctors predictions!

I wonder if the ophthalmologist is just getting better and more accurate at

testing Darby and that is why you are seeing changes in the prescription.

She is becoming more mature and may understand what they are asking of her.

I think Andy's Rx changed a lot when he was young. Do you know what her

acuity measurement is? It sounds like you are at a place where Darby is

getting good care.

Another question - is the prescription for near vision or far vision? Could

that be another reason for the variance in the two prescriptions you

mentioned? Our Andy is considered " near sighted " . He reads without his

glasses on, but the minute he has to look at something 1 foot away, he has

to put his glasses on to see it. Forget seeing any type of detail at 5

feet. Doing homework together always looked lie a scene out of a comedy.

One moment he had his nose in a book without glasses, but if he had a

question, he had to put his glasses on, sign to me, watch me respond, take

his glasses back off and put his nose back in the book.....and the routine

continued.....very long and very exhausting. Unfortunately, bifocals don't

work as the lower part would be prohibitively thick.

Like Darby, Andy is deaf and has vision in only one eye, so the thought of

loosing any vision makes me shutter. Like you, we have to be close

observers and thankfully Andy has never had a retinal detachment (knock on

wood).

Have you ever had a functional vision evaluation done? There are " Low

Vision Optometrists " who are trained to evaluate a person's vision - what

aides or technology might me needed, how close in the classroom to sit for

optimal viewing, etc. etc. Andy had his first one when he was about 7 years

old and that Doctor's recommendations let to improved seating in his

classroom (extremely necessary in a signing environment), getting a

monocular, magnifier, and CCTV. He also had written recommendations

regarding optimum placement in the classroom and the best seating in regards

to his blind side and colobomas.

Hey, the good news......it's all they have known and it's " normal " to them!

:-) That's what Andy says.....that we have " super vision " .

Keep up the great work and continued success to Darby.

Sally (Mom to Andy, 24)

> Date: Wed, 04 Jan 2006 18:53:38 +0000

>

> Subject: RE: Re: confusion

>

> Thakns for the info and kind words meg!! Darby saw a pediatric

> ophthamologist last week. Dr. todd goldblum. He came highly reccomended.

> We had been going to childrens in boston formast of her life. As far as

> visual changes or pain Darby never tells us . I have begged and bribed

> but she will always say " I'm fine! " . We have to go by my CLOSE observation

> and med. exams. Darbyhas always tilted her head to see. Her visual,pt and

> ot people she had through ei said she had great survival instincts. She

> learned early and on her own how to use all her available senses to the best

> ability. Most people say the can't tell she is partially blindand deaf.

> Deaf in left ear and blind in one eye.

> thanks again