Hi everyone. As always, thanks for coming along for the ride. Unfortunately, I don't have any news to report. Still playing phone tag with the doctor's office. The nature of my work and work environment make it difficult to make calls during the day, and of course, the doctor's office closes at 5:00. So...{sigh}.
Still working in that direction.
Had an interesting exchange with a visitor that was adamant I should try vision therapy instead of surgery. I'd really love if people would share their experiences with both. Not just for my benefit, but also for everyone who is reading and considering surgery. Vision therapy doesn't seem like a viable option for me, not having enough vision to work with. Yet I would be interested to know if it has worked for other readers, or what they know about it. I'll do some digging myself in the meantime.
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To Correct or Not to Correct...that is my question.
Who Is This Woman and What is She Blogging About?
34 years ago there was a little blue-eyed girl. Her eyes were so big and blue and perfect, that one of them thought it could just sit back and relax, rest on its laurels, you know...get lazy. In fact, Miss Lazy Left got so lazy, that after some time, she just sorta...checked out and went dark. The doctors called it "strabismus".
Now the little blue-eyed girl is all grown up, and even though she can't bring the light back to Miss Lazy Left, she has decided it is high time to at least set her straight. So, with a couple of snips and sutures, Miss Lazy Left is soon to be marching on the straight and narrow path so that the blue-eyed woman can move with just a little more grace, power, and confidence in the world. But she can't do it alone, and that's why she has invited all of you along for the journey.
Blog Archive
Personal Blogs
Academic Journal Articles
- The Psychosocial benefits of corrective surgery for adults with strabismus
- Age of the emergence of negative attitudes toward strabismus
- Effect of adult strabismus on ratings of official U.S. Army photographs
- Impact of large angle horizontal strabismus on ability to obtain employment
- Negative social bias against children with strabismus
- The negative psychosocial impact of strabismus in adults
- Perceived functional impact of abnormal facial appearance
- The effect of strabismus on a young child's selection of a playmate
7 comments:
As to vision therapy, etc....
You are solid and I trust your choices. It's hard when people come on strong w/o knowing much.
Many hugs.
--John
Thanks John. Hugs to you too.
i just found your blog and wanted to say thank you for posting it. i don't know that i'd have the courage to post my pic/life story on the 'net and appreciate that you did.
i have had strabismus/amblyopia (left eye/eye turns outward) my whole life. i'm 32. i went through patching, glasses, vision therapy, eye drops (painful!), prisms, and finally surgery up until age 8. my vision improved/my eyes remained straight for about 4-5 years and then went back to the 'way it was'...right in time for the awkward teenage years of braces, zits, and insults like '4 eyes', 'lazy eye', 'freak', and 'straight eyed' people crossing their eyes as a joke. back then, things were not as advanced as they were now, so 'failures' were expected. i was told another surgery would cause me to lose all vision in my left eye (it's not that great anyway, but i have some vision in my left eye). i've not had medical insurance for many years now and a lot of insurance cos. don't cover it anyway as it's considered a 'pre-existing condition' and 'cosmetic procedure'. double whammy of sorts.
i'm at the point now where i'm considering vision therapy (i just failed my vision test for my license and now need to see a dr. to sign off on whether i can continue driving) and surgery. i'm not insured so $ is limited.
i've known 3 people who have tried vision therapy and have had success w/it (improved vision). 1 even had her eyes 'realign', but her eye was barely crossed (mine's severely crossed).
at this point, i'd be willing to try vision therapy...can't hurt after living this way nearly all my life. i think the 'therapy or surgery' issue comes down to doing your own research, finding a dr you're comfortable w/, cost (vision therapy can be expensive and may not be covered), etc.
Hi anonymous -
I can understand the frustration with insurance, but I would encourage you to talk to a couple of doctors if you can and see what can be done in that department. Also, go ahead and reach out to the people in your life. You'd be surprised where support might come from...both financially and emotionally. It's not an easy condition to live with, both because of vision and the awkward years of teasing.
Anyway, I hope you continue to visit and find some inspiration here.
I’m over the awkward years of teasing. By 32, you learn to just live life and most of us have outgrown the teasing phase. Besides, who survives the preteen/teen years W/O some type of teasing? I’ve got a great group of friends in real life, but don’t personally know anyone who has amblyopia/strabismus (the 3 people I’ve known who underwent vision therapy were friends of friends/acquaintances). I joined the yahoo strabismus group and may make a post/find some people for emotional support/a place to talk about things. At this point, I’ll likely have surgery and then undergo vision therapy to hopefully regain more vision in my left eye. As it is, I’ve got pretty decent (not sure of the #) frontal and peripheral vision in my left eye. When I was younger, surgery (and mild vision therapy) did improve my vision for several years.
I’ve emailed some drs and am going to set up consults w/2. I may ask about a payment plan and see if they offer cash discounts. It has been a bit of a runaround even finding drs who will listen (several have basically said ‘no hope’). Fortunately the ‘net has led to some drs. Answering qs via email w/o requiring an expensive in person consult.
I’d be interested to see if your insurance covers it. Did you list it as a pre-existing condition when you got your insurance? I’ve done some research on the ‘net and not found any concrete answers about coverage. As a kid, it was covered after MUCH fighting w/the insurance co. however, when time came for a 2nd operation, the insurance adamantly refused, saying it was a pre-existing condition. I’ve known people who have omitted their amblyopia/strabismus on insurance applications and then gotten surgery covered, but I’m not sure I want to do that. I don’t have a ‘medical record’ that’s easily traced my surgery was 24 years ago (med records are probably long since destroyed) and I’ve not seen an eye dr. regularly. My issue is ‘should I get individual coverage and hope pre-existing conditions are covered?’ (rare) or ‘should I get group coverage’ (may be possible but not for certain as I’m self-employed) and hope it’s covered?’ (more likely but still rare).
If you know of any other online groups/posts that deal w/adults getting the surgery (and preferably pics posted of the results), please let me know. I’d leave my email here, but not sure I want it lurking all over the ‘net (I’m a privacy freak).
jen
Thank you for sharing your story,
I will be wishing you the best and following your blogs. I am 47 and had normal vision until age 19 when an eye injury damaged my right eye. The end results left me with only peripheral vision and a strange looking pupil (a section of the iris was torn away and what is left tries to close across). My mind ignores the mis-aligned ghost image from this eye and over the years my right eye has wandered out. I also have a droopy eyelid when tired.
I am so interested in hearing the experiences from others that share our problems of being "odd" in normal folks perspectives. My problems are not so much physical, but are based in my relationships and how I have always tried to continue life's path on my own. I'm learning how our relationships with others can be a great influence to battle depression and my tendency to "go it alone" is only perpetuating a bad cycle.
For example: I never returned for High School reunions, wanting anyone who would remember me to just remember the person I was back then. Mostly abandoning those friendships. I just read a book called "Tuesdays with Morrie" that has given me a whole new perspective... It gives a dying man's thoughts (Morrie was a doctor of sociology) about what is really important in life - relationships!
Besides surfing the net to learn ways of coping better, I also signed up on classmates-dot-com and have started looking up old friends. I'm not sure how to tell them about my eye or if I even should... We have a 30th year reunion coming up and I'm regarding it the way you are with your surgery. Making lists in my mind on whether I should or shouldn't attend. Of course I should - but I don't think I could deal with it.
My Update...
(posted as anonymous Aug 15, 2007 above) Hi again, reading about others online who were dealing with their eye problems inspired me to reach out for help. I contacted our state's div of blind services and they worked on my eye and helped me get a job. Lots to be thankful for. I did have surgery in Nov 2007 to straighten my right eye and it stayed an angry red for almost a month (complications from my eye being so damaged). Most say that it looks much better now. Nothing could be done about the way my Iris looks.
I didn't go to my HS reunion mentioned above mostly for reasons stated.
I was hoping to see an update from our host and wanted to say thanks again for this site. I hope and wish all the best for you.
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