special needs child

[lauralula]

My daughter is 4 and has special needs including cerebral volume loss resulting in choreoathetoid movements. She has a almost continuous estropia. She has glasses for nearsightedness. Strabismus surgery has been reccommended and I am trying to weigh the possible benefits against the likelyhood that it probably will not give her binocular vision. I could care less about her cosmetic appearance but if it will help her vision that would be great. How likely is it to really work? For a child like Laura would you be in favor of this option? Will it make things worse?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

You may not care what her eyes look like but she might when older and it can affect the way people treat her. If you have seen a pediatric ophthalmologist and surgery has been recommended then I would follow through with the recommendations. It won't give her perfect binocular vision like those of us born with straight eyes and good vision in each but it will help her visual system do the best they can.

JCH III MD