Seven-year-old Brenden Ditton doesn’t remember ever not wearing glasses.
He was diagnosed with a condition called strabismus (crossed eyes) when
he was a baby; he started wearing corrective eyeglasses when he was just
18 months old. Strabismus is a condition in which both eyes do not look
at the same place at the same time.
Brenden’s eye care provider,
Dr. Jason Bleazard, explained that six muscles attach to each eye to control how the eye
moves. The muscles receive signals from the brain that direct their movements.
Normally, the eyes work together so they both point at the same place.
When problems develop with eye movement control, an eye may turn in, out,
up or down.
Sometimes it is possible to correct this condition without surgery. “We
tried several options with Brenden’s eyes,” Bleazard said.
“We put him in glasses and also tried patching where one eye would
be covered forcing the weaker muscles in the other eye to become stronger."
Bleazard said it is always prudent to try other therapies before surgical
intervention. “It was only when these therapies didn’t produce
the desired results that I referred Brenden to Northwest Pediatric Ophthalmology
in Spokane for surgery."
The procedure to correct strabismus involves taking measurements in each
eye. The muscles are then adjusted to fit correctly within those measurements.
The correction in Brenden’s current eye glasses is based on those
measurements.
His vision is now corrected to 20/20. “I can see a lot better,”
Brenden said. “Brenden’s eyes will be carefully monitored
in the future,” Bleazard said. “He will have his final surgery
check-up in June of this year. We will resume caring for him at our Othello
Eye Clinic after that.”
Brenden’s parents, Kim (RN at CBHA) and Shawn Ditton, describe Brenden
as a very active seven-year-old who “loves everything about being
outdoors.” He is a happy little boy who adores animals and anything
to do with nature. He just finished the first grade and is looking forward
to summer. Brenden’s parents are relieved that his vision has been
corrected and he can participate in the activities he enjoys.
People often believe that a child with strabismus will outgrow the condition.
But evidence doesn’t support this hope. In fact, the condition may
get worse without treatment. “An optometrist should examine any
child older than four months whose eyes do not appear to be straight all
the time,” Bleazard concluded. “We can diagnose strabismus
through a comprehensive eye exam with special emphasis on how the eyes
focus and move. Family history is important as well. Brenden’s mother
also had this condition as a baby, but alternative therapies didn’t
work and she, too, had surgery as a small child.”
For more information about
strabismus or any other eye concern, Dr. Bleazard can be reached at 509-488-5256.