I Have A Story … by Reece and her Mom

Reece was born 7 weeks premature and at three months old, we noticed her right eye had started turning in; so we were referred to an eye specialist in Charlotte. Reece was diagnosed with Esotropia and Exotropia, and at four months old, she was prescribed to wear glasses along with patch therapy. When Reece was six months old her right eye started jerking. The specialist sent her for an MRI, and she was diagnosed with a Nystagmus. We were told from the specialist that she would be perfectly fine and they would monitor the new condition. Reece continued with the patching therapy and started a Vision Therapy program. At two years old Reece had her first eye surgery, and it was recommended that we have routine follow-up visits afterward. For several years we made the hour and a half commute, and the doctor was only seeing Reece for 15 minutes at a time and stating everything was fine. We began getting frustrated as it seemed the doctor wasn’t sure what the next steps should be and how to care for our daughter.

In 2015, we switched Reece to Graystone Eye. The first visit was wonderful! The doctor did so many different tests and spent the time answering all the questions we had that our previous Pediatric Ophthalmologist didn’t. Everyone was very kind and caring. The doctor was able to tell us things about Reece’s condition that we had not been educated on previously, especially issues related to Reece having Cerebral Palsy. She confirmed this diagnosis with evidence of Temporal Pallor (disorder of the optic nerve that can be caused by a lack of oxygen before, during, or after birth). Reece has also been diagnosed with a condition called Cortical Visual Impairment, which explained why she was having difficulty with fine motor skills including writing.

My husband and I were amazed that the doctor at Graystone was able to look into our child’s eyes and piece together the puzzle of diagnoses that the previous ophthalmologist missed. She has a way of making you feel at ease with the situation; expresses genuine compassion for her patients and their families, greets everyone with a smile and never once made us feel like she was in a rush. It has been a long road for Reece but she is always excited to see her doctor and talks about her all the time. At five years old, Reece is in glasses full time and will continue with routine exams to monitor the condition of her left eye. The Graystone Eye physicians are so dedicated to patient care. They brought light to the end of a dark tunnel for us, and I imagine other parents of children with vision issues have endured some of the same experiences as we have. All I can say to any parent is that Graystone Eye gives you the answers you need, through the eyes of your child.