Softball anyone?

Pretty soon my little cupcake is gonna look like Patches the Pirate meets 'Arry Potter. At the opthamologist today she got some sample patches and a script for eye glasses that we will be getting filled this week!

I had no idea that catching things early in the eye's development could be SO important, but if our doctor's enthusiasm is anything to go by its SUPER important.  Apparently much of human depth perception is formed in the first year of life, and by the time she (or any opthamologist) sees most babies, the damage is already done. She was practically glowing with excitement after the exam when she said, "I know I am treating this aggressively, but you have to understand, you brought her in early and this is a baby I can actually HELP!"

She was very pleased that the optic nerve showed no swelling and wasn't pale like it had suffered any injury at all from Evangeline's hydrocephalus.  She is still concerned that there might be a "brain/muscle" problem where the brain is sending the wrong signal or the muscle is hearing that signal wrongly and its this miscommunication that keeps the eye turned in toward the nose. The only treatment for this muscle problem is a surgery.  The surgery won't leave a scar and will correct the problem if it is called for.  We won't know if its called for though, until we see if this aggressive patches-and-glasses therapy works. A decision will be made sometime between 6 and 12 months regarding  if surgery is warranted.

For right now, she will be sporting a patch for one to two hours a day and will be styling in some lovely frames (I hope to find some real cuties!) when she isn't sleeping.  The glasses are for farsightedness.  Most babies are farsighted so that by itself isn't unusual, but hers, while still in a range of normal, is enough that it might be the cause of her left eye turning in when it tries to focus on things up close.  So by using the patches and the glasses we are sure to help the problem if it can be helped non surgically! 

This is great news because, as the doctor explained, this means she will be able to keep her depth perception and everything that stems from it like hand-eye coordination.  Which of course will come in handy one day if she wants to try her hands or feet at sports in the future.

For now, anytime she rubs her eye patch pathetically or turns her little head trying to escape it, I must remember that what I am doing is furthering her possible future college scholarship as a softball pitcher.  After all, she will know as good as anybody that life is all about how you handle the curve balls.