Thursday, February 03, 2005
The Eyes Have It. (But what if they don't?)
If you have children I would like to implore you:
GET THEIR EYES CHECKED.
McTighe Haüs has recently been dealing with the discovery that our 3-year old son, Sean, is severly farsighted. That means he has trouble focusing on things up close. Like coloring, and reading, and tracing/writing. The only reason we knew there might be a problem with his eyesight was because his right eye was starting to turn in a little. This was our only indicator. Ånd, Sean's eye doctor said we were lucky he was exhibiting that outward symptom. Some kids go seven or eight years before their parents -- or more likely -- their teachers realize they can't read very well.
Scratch that: Not "can't read very well" and replace it with "can't see very well."
So, last week Sean had to get glasses and today, we just started patching the stronger eye to strengthen the weaker eye. That means we cover the strong eye with a little adhesive patch (we put superhero stickers on it) so that the weaker eye has to bust ass and get buff. Sean doesn't like it one bit, but he hasn't tried to take it off. Yet.
His doctor says that we should experience significant increases in the strength of both of his eyes and that his prescription will go down over time. He'll probably always have to wear glasses, but by the time he's 21 (surgery consent age) there will have been significant advances in what they can do to fix his eyes. Hell, maybe they'll just insert a tiny robotic lens in there. Just like the Terminator.
Anyway, if anyone reading this thinks their kids need an eye check -- they do. And if anyone reading this thinks their kids don't need an eye check -- they do.
Seriously, what can it hurt? Nothing. What can it help? Everything.
Oh, one other thing. This morning right when Sean woke up, he asked if he could watch cartoons. We turned them on and he was quiet for a moment. Then he asked me if he could "have his glasses on." I think they might be helping.
¶ 9:13 AM
GET THEIR EYES CHECKED.
McTighe Haüs has recently been dealing with the discovery that our 3-year old son, Sean, is severly farsighted. That means he has trouble focusing on things up close. Like coloring, and reading, and tracing/writing. The only reason we knew there might be a problem with his eyesight was because his right eye was starting to turn in a little. This was our only indicator. Ånd, Sean's eye doctor said we were lucky he was exhibiting that outward symptom. Some kids go seven or eight years before their parents -- or more likely -- their teachers realize they can't read very well.
Scratch that: Not "can't read very well" and replace it with "can't see very well."
So, last week Sean had to get glasses and today, we just started patching the stronger eye to strengthen the weaker eye. That means we cover the strong eye with a little adhesive patch (we put superhero stickers on it) so that the weaker eye has to bust ass and get buff. Sean doesn't like it one bit, but he hasn't tried to take it off. Yet.
His doctor says that we should experience significant increases in the strength of both of his eyes and that his prescription will go down over time. He'll probably always have to wear glasses, but by the time he's 21 (surgery consent age) there will have been significant advances in what they can do to fix his eyes. Hell, maybe they'll just insert a tiny robotic lens in there. Just like the Terminator.
Anyway, if anyone reading this thinks their kids need an eye check -- they do. And if anyone reading this thinks their kids don't need an eye check -- they do.
Seriously, what can it hurt? Nothing. What can it help? Everything.
Oh, one other thing. This morning right when Sean woke up, he asked if he could watch cartoons. We turned them on and he was quiet for a moment. Then he asked me if he could "have his glasses on." I think they might be helping.
¶ 9:13 AM
