Thursday, February 5, 2015

You Win Some, You Lose Some



Today Finley had her Vision Field test. This is one of my favorite appointments only because it gives us the most knowledge about HOW she sees. That is so valuable when it comes to her accommodations at school. We like to have it before her IEP each year so that it helps with planning the next year.

 I would love to say that after last week's high of stable acuity that this appointment went just as well, but it did not. We found out that she has lost a significant amount more of her central vision. Last year, where her lost was kind of a crescent shape, this year it is a full circle and that circle has gotten large. The doctor was pretty sure it has happened gradually over this last year which is why Finley hasn't really noticed (and neither have we). 

She has lost a good deal of her color identification ability. The doctor said she wasn't surprised. Being able to tell the difference between colors is starting to go as well. Like when she sees a blue she isn't sure if it is blue or black or brown. Kind of all looks the same. BUT - the more light she has, the better she sees, of course. 

The doctor didn't really believe that her acuity stayed stable because of what she found, but she didn't push it because Finley is still able to compensate and isn't complaining. Small potatoes compared to the rest. 

The GOOD news was that her peripheral fields haven't shrunk much more - they stayed pretty stable. So....that is that. Up, down, up, down. LCA sucks pine sap. Now we just wait for the written report from her and her recommendations for school. Next year she goes to a new school (3rd grade here is in a different building) which means all new staff who don't know her. Sigh. 

This summer we have to go back to the retinal specialist to see what is happenings with her night vision loss and also her retinas in general. And we are going to see a Low Vision specialist to help make some recommendations on equipment. I am grateful that we have Perkins School for the blind and their Low Vision Clinic to help us with everything. Onward!


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

hang in there!

Shay