Yep, that's right. Our baby girl has got some new baby glasses and well... let's just say they're not the cutest frames I've ever seen, but of course our little Elliana can make even the geekiest looking glasses look cute when she wears them! (I keep joking that they look like we pulled them out of the dollar bin at Target! They really do have prescription lenses in them- really!)
So, last week was our almost 4 hour appointment with the pediatric opthomologist. Dr. Lanier is one of the best in the country and she was fabulous. She took a good look at Elliana and almost right away said that she would need glasses. Of course after that first talk with her, there were several more tests done and more waiting over the next few hours and then at the very end of the appointment she came in again to give the actual diagnosis. Elliana has accomodative esotropia, which is a form of strabismus. Strabismus is caused by an imbalance in the muscles that control the positioning of the eye. In other words, her eyes cross because she is trying very hard to focus on things in front of her and her eyes are not working together to focus correctly. Actually one eye tilts upward and one inward if you want to get specific. The Dr has prescribed glasses to improve focusing and redirect her line of sight, which hopefully will eventually cause the eyes to straighten. Dr Lanier said that she should most likely not need any kind of surgery if she wears these glasses consistently!
And if you want to know a little bit more of the technical reason why our 13 month old baby must wear glasses, here you go: "Children with accommodative esotropia are farsighted. Although everyone's eyes turn inward when focusing on very close objects, eyes that are farsighted also turn inward when looking at distant objects. In mild cases, the eyes may turn too far inward only when looking at nearby objects. In more severe cases, the eyes turn too far inward all the time. With treatment, accommodative esotropia can usually be corrected. Eyeglasses can help the child focus on objects, reducing the tendency for the eyes to turn inward when viewing those objects. Strabismus cannot be outgrown, not will it improve by itself. Treatment to straighten the eyes is required."
Her Dr wants her to wear the glasses the entire time she is awake and she said to even out her down for her nap with them on and just slip them off when she is asleep, so that her brain will get used to her always having them on. Randy and i were both quite shocked at that little piece of info and also have wondered all week how we were going to get her to actually keep them on!
Well, we just got the glasses today and I'm sure you're wondering how it went?! The funny thing is that when we first put them on her she did not immediately try to take them off. She just sat there real quiet just looking all around. It was like she could finally SEE! She would keep them on for a little while and then try and get them off and then we would try it again and then she would stop and get real quiet again to look around! It was pretty funny. Here are just a few shots of her first day with glasses on. I love the progression from pretty content to get these things off of me! (they have a strap on the back by the way- otherwise they would have been thrown on the ground immediately!) This will be our new challenge!
When we first got our sweet baby's referral and picture, this is something we were definitely not aware of. Over the months that we were waiting to bring her home, we kept seeing that the Korean Dr was referencing her crossed eyes. No big deal, as we knew already she was our daughter no matter what and we figured she may need a surgery or glasses sometime in the future. But I never really pictured my daughter wearing those huge glasses. But now I guess they will become a part of who she is.. Yes, things may not always turn out as we think they should, but I know that there is a reason for it all. What a wild adventure this adoption has taken us on so far! Phew!
More to come later!
15 comments:
Wow! At least you caught it early. I'm praying that she transitions well. In a couple days, she'll probably forget all about them.
Melissa (www.thecorkums.com)
So glad you were able to catch it early! I have to say, I think she looks very cute with them on!!! It will definitely be a challenge to have her leave them on, but I am willing to bet at some point she'll lose interest in them (hopefully, sooner rather than later!!!).
Kelly
Glad we were able to visit with you a little yesterday. Elliana's such a beautiful girl and I think the glasses just add to her cuteness!
Grandma thinks she is CUTE with her new glasses!
I think those glasses are cute!!
She's a beauty always. Glad that now you guys know about her condition while she's still little enough to correct it.
She is adorable!!!!!! So glad to read that she may not need surgery. What a blessing. Good luck to you keeping those suckers on.
They are too cute!
So very cute! I hope she gets used to them quickly, so that you won't have to worry about keeping them on her little face! I have to say, though, those pictures are cute of her getting them OFF!!!
Candace, Im sure this has been an emotionaly roller coaster. I remember the day when we found out our daughter needed glasses. At that time she was a busy two year old. It broke my heart to hear that she could not see. It was a fluke we caught it because we were all in getting eyes checked and the dr just said, well since you are here, lets check your baby too. Soon , we all got use to it, and better yet she could finally see better! Being a busy two year old, she did learn to keep them on.
And by the way, your daughter is absolutly adorable!!! God knew she would need an amazing family like you! Smile that you caught this early. The earlier, the better she will be able to see later.
God Bless you my friend!
What a blessing to be able to deal with the problem and get it corrected early on. I remember the first pair of glasses I put on, as a third grader. I was stunned at what I could now see! And amazed at how much I had been missing.
"Annie" is me---Neta.
I think they are absolutely adorable!! I hope she learns to love them, especially since she can now see so well! What a wonderful dr it sounds like you have and I'm so happy to hear you caught it early!
I think Eliana looks precious in her new glasses!!
I didn't get a chance to ask you about her glasses last Thursday but now I'm all read up! The glasses aren't the most sophisticated but you are right about Elliana making them the cutest!
I just wanted to share that I love reading your blog! I know you dont know me but I am a friend of Amanda Alvernaz and saw her blog she wrote about you. You are a great writer and photographer. You have a beautiful family!
Treva
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