White eye Reflection ...

Looking back I am right here with wanting to get this week over too and it has only just started.

The past few weeks I have been so worried about S. I noticed when I was downloading photos to upload to my blog June 29th that Sam's left pupil had an unusual white reflection. I couldn't get it out of my mind. Dr Google had me envisioning some scary things ... leukocoria .

Though I knew from a previous eye examination one eye had an abnormality found normally in some people where the myelin sheath that surrounds the optic nerve is partially obscuring his disc but not in away that affects his vision at the moment.

myelin is the covering of the individual nerves that make up the optic nerve.
Normally myelin stops where the optic nerve enters the eye

but his didn't in left eye. Just means that makes it very hard to see his optic disc and a big problem should he develop an optic glioma -which was why he had an eye appointment 3 months to monitor for this. [That is another story related to a genetic disease he has (12% possibility of getting this and my cousin (22) did have one 20 years ago)].

I wasn't sure which eye it was. So I rang Westmead Children's Hospital about 2 weeks ago to ask someone from the eye clinic. Someone checked his medical records and conferred with me it was the left eye and that is was possible it was causing the white pupil reflex instead of red but that should see him to make sure. I was able to get an appointment for 30th July - today.

I hardly sleep much last night ... felt compelled to Google last evening and I should have known better . So it was running over and over in my head.I was so worried my precious baby had something more awful.I can't even say it out loud. I also found it in other photos since 19th June and one my niece took.

Thank God ! it is still just the myelinated sheath that is causing the white eye reflex. He may also be shortsighted in that eye and develop a turn (manageable/repairable but again something I would rather not happen). Today, his vision was fine ~ sadly I saw a blind little girl there today about 2-3 years. I can imagine a world without my sight.

Though I am almost blind in my right eye from a head injury I received at school when I was about 8 ~ causing concussion and bruising to my right forehead/eye and a undetected, partially detached retina. It was too late by the time they picked it up. I'd say I would be technically blind in that eye as I only have peripheral vision but I can't remember it any other way .

So just days before their birthday I went from being a super high to the lowest low - and I couldn't share it either.I'm over it at this point and feel a bit guilty for giving him this ... the last few days I have just felt speechless and on edge.

Everyone please note - white eye reflection is not normal and you should get a referral to Opthamologist asap if you see it in your photos. It could be life threathening if left unchecked.

It is a simple examination.The only part where he was a bit uncomfortable was when they put drops in to dilate his eyes. It is very quick when they did it and S didn't cry too long. It wasn't a painful cry, it was probably more of annoyance to him to have something squirted in his eye. It takes about 30 mins for the eyes to fully dilate. Though he also didn't like the tape patch on his eye and being held down for them to see. I forgot to take his sunnies for afterwards - too as the eyes are sensitive to light for a while.

Today, I also had to make an appointment for J to have a head u/s too because his head circumference has gone from 50 %tile to 95%tile and Paed just wants to make sure ? As if I don't need something else to worry about ... it isn't till 14th August.

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