About Leah's Eyeball

When Leah was born she was beautiful. Unfortunately though, she came to us with one little flaw. She had a clogged tear duct in her right eye. They reassured us that this is common in newborns. After researching it we learned that, in fact, up to 20% of all newborns are born with one.

 So our little Leah had a watery right eye. A lot.

I tried not to let it bother me, but it was a pain to mess with. She would usually wake with her lashes stuck shut. I felt bad for her as she did not enjoy having her lashes "unstuck". She even earned the nickname Popeye.

 Still, we tried to be patient because we had learned that most baby's tear ducts open by their first birthday. I was saddened that most of her baby pictures contained her poor eye looking miserable, even if she was happy!

 The worst part was that her eye was constantly infected and looked like this. The only thing that cleared the infection was antibiotic ointment or drops. She hated getting these and I hated giving them to her.

As her first birthday approached, it became obvious to us and her eye doctor that she would be one of the small number of babies that require surgery.

So, days before her first birthday, we woke early and drove baby Leah to the surgery center. I tearfully handed my baby girl over to a stranger and then sat in the waiting room. About 20 minutes later they came and got us and then handed me a very upset Leah. The doctor informed us that it had gone perfectly and we took Leah home where she slept off the after effects of the anesthesia.

 And after? 

We spent 2 1/2 wonderfully blissful, goopy-free years of enjoying her beautiful blue eyes!

Until recently.

About a month ago she bonked her right eye on the computer desk. She had a minor black eye and all of a sudden, a teary eye too. We waited for it to heal. The bruising quickly disappeared, but the tears still remained. Off to the doctor she went again.

He said he doesn't have experience with children and because it's injury related she will have to be referred to an eye plastic surgeon if the antibiotic/steroid ointment doesn't work.

 Sigh...

So, for now we are in the pray, medicate and wait stage.

Poor eyeball....