Potential for vision to develop in 2 yr old

History: My 2 yr old has had extensive ophthomologic problems since birth.  He was born with his R globe larger than L and shallow orbits, neither of which was detected when he was born.  He had extensive scarring due to neurotrophic keratopathy in both eyes.  An optical iridectomy was performed when he was 8 mo old in L eye and he is tracking some and is responsive to light (loves light up toys).  He had an emergency donor cornea transplant with lensectomy R eye at 2 mo old from perforation which he, of course, rejected due to his age.  At one year of age I took him out to NY where he had a keratoprosthesis implanted and a retinal repair.  Amblyobia has already set in his R eye and we are patching L eye 2 hrs a day.  His R eye is not reactive to light AT ALL and no tracking either.  Optic nerves look good. He was also born with hydrocephalus

Question: What are his chances of vision developing or improving in either eye?  I've heard that vision develops until age 5 or 6 yrs old.  What damages to potential vision have occurred from total blindness for 8 mo L eye and 1 yr R eye?  As a mother I feel desperate to help him and feel like it's a race against time to restore vision.  I sometimes feel that his pediatric ophthalomologist doesn't tell me everything because the damage occurred when he was in the NICU under opthalomogy's care.  Thank you in advance.

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

You will have to ask your doctor.  I don't have enough information.

Dr. O.