Cataracts

Shelley had to see a pediatric ophthalmologist today because at her four month check up on Monday the pediatrician noticed the light wasn't reflecting symmetrically in both of her eyes and wanted a specialist to take a look. So we went in this morning to see the pediatric ophthalmologist. After dilating Shelley's eyes, the pediatric ophthalmologist found that Shelley has cataracts in both of her eyes. Her left eye is worst and so she has to have surgery on Tuesday to remove that lens and then she will have surgery on the other eye at a later date.

So for those of you who don't know what cataracts are and would like to know more, here is my layman explanation:

Cataracts are cloudiness on the lens of the eye. They cause your vision to blur. In Shelley's case, her eyes are developing so much right now that he brain is having a hard time focusing her vision because of the cataract that her eyes shake a little (we have never noticed it but the doctor said he noticed when she went from looking down to up) and if she doesn't get surgery immediately then as the cloudiness continues to get worse, her brain would eventually stop trying to focus her vision and shut down her eyesight, causing blindness. Shelley's left eye is more severe than her right so the ophthalmologist will do surgery first on that eye and then on her right eye in a few weeks. It makes me so sad. My little girl has to have surgery and who knows how her eye sight will be later on. We'll pray for the best. The doctor said the good news is that she does have them in both eyes. If she only had a cataract in one eye, then the brain might have already given up on that eye but since both are clouded, then the brain is still trying to make her vision work.

In older people, when ophthalmologists take out cataract lenses they can put in an artificial lens. Since Shelley's eyes are still developing, they can't put in an artificial lens until her eyes stop developing (around five, I think) so she will be wearing contacts that I put in and out.

The surgery makes me so nervous. I know everything will go well and that she is in good hands but it is hard not to worry. Because she will be getting anesthesia, she has to be fasting before she gets surgery. My poor little girl won't know why I can't feed her and why she has to be hungry but it is a necessary step and a good precaution. The doctor is trying to schedule her to be the first surgery so she doesn't have to fast as long but he is still working that out - pray that the other surgeries scheduled ahead of her are alright switching appointments with us so Shelley can go first. But more importantly, pray that the doctors will be guided during the surgery.

Keep my little girl in your thoughts and prayers. I'm so grateful for the support and love of family and friends like you.

I'll keep you posted.