Ophthalmology Appointment

Cayman's latest eye appointment has turned up the need for her to wear prescription eye glasses.

We've been giggling over the thought of how cute she's going to look in them. And we've also been scratching our heads in the wonderment of how we are going to get her to keep them on.

Her previous appointment to the Ophthalmologist (and I cannot believe I just spelled that word correctly without the aid of spell check) was in December. Since then her vision has decreased in her right eye. As her brain uses it less and less to focus with it has begun to turn in, giving her what we most commonly know as a 'lazy eye' (amblyopia).

She has been very far sighted in both eyes.

Now her left eye is lessening in far sightedness while her right eye remains very far sighted. The difference in depth perception between the eyes is causing the decline in her right eye.

And there's an explanation why.

Here it is...

She has something called a myelinated nerve fiber layer in her left eye. It's the continuing of the insulation wrapping that is around all nerve fibers. Normally this wrapping stops at the place where the nerve enters the eye. In rare occasions, this insulation continues enveloping the nerve as it passes through the eye.

Puzzled by this, I asked the doctor, "It sounds like a bad thing, but her left eye is doing so well in vision, so is this is a good thing for that left eye?"

He said, "It depends on which angle you look at it."

This extra layer around the nerve fiber has lessened Cayman's far sightedness in that effected left eye. While that is actually a positive thing when considering only that individual eye, it's a negative thing in account that eyes should work in pairs though. Her right eye cannot focus as her body favors the stronger left eye's vision.

Since she cannot focus both eyes together the doctor wants to try glasses to see if that helps correct the depth perception and hopefully prevent vision loss in her right eye.

If there is no changes with the glasses we'll move onto patching.

If that doesn't work he'll start talking surgery.

I feel I'm getting a small degree in ophthalmology now too.

Next up on the education list is otolaryngology, the ear doctor. In a week we will return to their office to do further investigation as to why Cayman's tympanogram continues to come back abnormally.

By the end of this very long, two and a half hour eye doctor appointment yesterday, my tired, loaded mind was feeling overwhelmed. On the drive home everything was rolling through my brain...

The eye sight issues.

The possible hearing issues.

The gross and fine motor skill issues.

The thumb issues.

The speech issues.

The shunt issues.

The cardiac arrest issue.

But with just one glance in my rear view mirror, the image of my little, pink Cayman buckled in the backseat melted the consuming stress away.

Even on the days when it's not always so easy, I can always say it's so worth it! Most of it feels quite small in light of the fact that she is still with us. That alone makes life sweet just as it is!

You will not find me complaining.

Overwhelmed at times, maybe yes.

But not consumed or defeated.

I am grateful for each way God has given me all the order and disorder, so that I might know both. Somehow He perfectly allows the disorder just long enough for me to realize and wholly appreciate the light, the courage, and the joy of each day.

My heart remains full of praise to my Lord that has blessed me in ways I am still learning new each day!