The "Eyes" Have It

I'm sure everyone is aware of the issues that we have faced with J2. He has had speech therapy since he was 3. He was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome last year. He wasn't learning the things he needed to in order to go to first grade so he had to repeat Kinder even though his IQ is fairly high. This year he has RSP (special ed.) Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy. He has a really hard time with his focus and concentration, we call him the Hummingbird on Acid.

Something new has cropped up in the past 6 to 8 months. He came to me one day in church and told me that he saw two. I asked him two what? Two music stands. But it went away. I just dismissed it with he is tired, or he has the crusties he gets in his right eye when he is sick or that come with his Dermatitis, or that he is just rubbing them to hard. So every once in a while he would tell me he sees two, and like a really great mom I told him to stop rubbing his eye. His complaints, which were sometimes accompanied by tears because it scared him, slowed down then for the most part stopped. Again, like the great mom I am, I thought no more of it.

His reading problems haven't been getting better, so for his annual IEP (Independent Education Plan) a friend told me to have him tested for Vision Therapy. She had just had a few IEP's with this great doctor who does the Therapy and it might give us some insight that we haven't had yet with our little puzzle J2. So we put in the letter and waited for the testing. One night at dinner I asked J2 if he saw double anymore.

"Oh yea, all of the time. I see two of you right now."

I asked him to draw me a picture of what he sees when he sees two and he made me a picture of at least 6 times during school that he saw two. I was freaked out that he was still seeing double.

Tired eyes

I called a new Optometrist and she told me that he has some crossing of the right eye which causes the double vision and that his eyes aren't converging. So when he tries to focus on something it is with first one eye then the other and it switches. Rapidly. Otherwise he has 20/30 vision. Glasses are really not an option, Vision Therapy and Surgery are. All of this is not covered under our vision insurance and most places want $300 for the first visit. She gave us some options but I wanted to see what the Doctor from the School had to say. He said the same thing and that he is already not using his right eye. If this goes without being treated he will lose the sight in his right eye all together. Basically, it will atrophy from disuse. If he has the therapy and possibly the surgery he will regress in his reading and writing because he needs to retrain his brain how to work right. Ill take the regression rather than the blindness.

My concern is the cost. Granted it needs to be done, no matter what, but what is it going to cost us. The Doctor from the school said that if we go through our Pediatrician it would be covered under our Health Insurance not the Vision Insurance. He gave me a name of a really great surgeon close by that our Optometrist gave us as well. I was getting a bit overwhelmed with it and talked to El Patron about my concerns. He told me just one step at a time, call the Optometrists first. J. actually came home early from school with a goofy rash so I took him to the Pediatrician. While I was there I told her about J2's eyes. She whipped out the pad and wrote a referral to the same guy that the other two had said to go to. Apparently, he is THE best in the area. She told me to ask to get onto the cancellations list if we can to grab an earlier appointment. I was excited that we got the referral but I was worried that he might not get an appointment right away. I know how hard it is to get an appointment with a really good doctor, Right Lizzie! I was still unsure about the insurance.

So with butterflies in the tummy I called this morning. The receptionist told me that with a referral from the Pediatrician and not the Optometrist it is covered by the insurance. "Yippee" I yelled in my head. Then he asked me if we could come in TOMORROW! as in the next stinking day! I of course said yes! then remembered I am helping at the school tomorrow morning but he said Friday would be fine. We are in! The initial visit take 3 to 4 hours so bring snacks. They will have to dilate his eyes, which he hates. I'll buy him some sunglasses and some Dibbs ice cream and he will love it. Just another adventure!

The best part of all the things that J2 is and has been going through is his attitude. He is a very happy go lucky boy. Everyday he tells me that is was the best day ever. He wants to read and write so badly. He is so very smart and such a good boy. He told me the other day when I asked him about his eyes that is was just life. Sadly, he has adapted to it. The other great thing is that he has a family, both immediate and extended, that love him and will keep him in there prayers.

Yes, academically he will be behind for a while but he will catch up. He is going to be fine. I'll keep you posted.