Click here to read about last week’s appointment.
How did the Last Two Weeks Go?
This week had its ups and downs, per usual, and we made it. Sometimes I just get so sick of having strabismus and the lazy eye that comes with the package deal. Meeting lots of new people with school starting for my kids means looks of confusion for my kid’s friends when they can’t tell where I’m looking and new adults who get to “get used” to my eye situation.
I had a particularly rough day trying to play pickleball with some friends and I kept just completely missing the ball. Over and over again. It was embarrassing and just not fun to keep missing the ball when I usually don’t! I did my VT right before going and my eyes were so tired. I just couldn’t keep track of the ball. I knew that that might happen, but also knew that it was my only chance to get my therapy done.
So I wallowed in self- pity afterward for a day or two and then went to Panda for lunch and had the best fortune. “YOUR ROAD TO GLORY WILL BE ROCKY, BUT FULFILLING.” A truth that I already know, but needed to be reminded of.
So I went back to my being positive self. Do you ever feel like I am a roller coaster of emotion, because I totally am. I fully admit it. It has definitely been more of a roller coaster since I started therapy and I think I’m getting used to this new me.
After the big fail at pickleball, I had a big win with target shooting.
We were up at a reunion and I was trying it out and asking all of the questions. I like to figure out how people with normal vision do things and then I can attempt to mimick them. I was fully prepared to be horrible because my eyes don’t work like everyone else.
Well, imagine my delight when they said you have to close one eye to shoot! And everyone said it’s hard to close one and keep the other focused.
Well, thanks to the suppression I’ve mastered over the last 33 years I just got to “see” through my left eye only, which is how I normally do and it was perfect.
I didn’t even close my right eye, I left it open to help with peripheral cues while keeping my left eye focused on the target.
It felt awesome to hit the target 4/10 times, which may not sound amazing, but my husband was 0/60 and my sister didn’t do much better and they always beat me at everything vision-related. 😂
Not that I want to always have this advantage, but it was nice to have the leg up for once! Okay, enough for the stories, lets get on to the actual appointment.
How Did the Appointment Go?
We had a great appointment today and I am continuing to make slow and steady progress.
Virtual Reality
We started out with some Optics Trainer (click here for their website to learn more) activities on the virtual reality headset. I am learning to open up my vision and allow both eyes to see together. It is getting easier for me and I am noticing a difference.
There is one activity that tests depth perception with four little birds. They all are floating at different depths and my job is to click them in order from closest to furthest. I can kind of do it, much to the surprise of Dr. Dan. There are ways I can cheat to test the depth, but I don’t use those ways. I just start by switching from eye to eye, then I try to really open up my peripheral vision and use both eyes together. Sometimes I can see the difference, other times I can just sense it, and lots of times I’m wrong. At first I was wrong 75% percent of the time, which means I was simply guessing and probability says I will get it right 1/4 times. But I am getting much much better. I am right at least 60-70% of the time on the easy level which is a huge and exciting improvement.
Even though I can’t always “see” the difference, I can feel my brain working and I know the answer. My brain is figuring it out and I’m hoping that translates into me seeing with stereopsis in real life, real soon.
Projector Vectograph
We spent quite a bit of time with me on a balance board looking at a vectograph on the wall via overhead projector. We add in plus lenses and my prism glasses at times, then take them away. I am slowly gaining awareness and “seeing” what I’m supposed to see.
As Dr. Dan moves the vectograph, I should see a three dimensional ring moving forward and back. I should also see a change in size. Sometimes the changes feel obvious, other times I see nothing but a flat ring on the wall. I know that I am seeing more and more with every visit.
VTS4
I was able to experience stereopsis with the VTS4 gold ring again and I lasted for much longer this time. I still felt like the ring was on the screen when it was supposed to be behind and was having a hard time convincing my logical brain that a ring floating behind the screen was possible.
Dr. Dan asked me to reach out and touch the ring and I was shocked to have my hand hit the screen because I was trying to reach a point beyond the screen, if that makes sense. That tells me that the information my brain is getting from the image and then sending to my hand is that the ring is behind of or in front of the screen, my vision just hasn’t quite caught up yet.
After those intense activities, Dr. Dan gave me a little break and we did some easier red/green activities and work with the yolked prisms. And after an hour my eyes and brain were dead and I got my homework and headed home for another two weeks of work.
Homework
- OKN Stripes – Continue 1-2 minutes daily but no more patching. We are trying it with both eyes open.
- Rivalry – Wear the red and green glasses and work on blending the colors with both eyes.
- VR Occulus GO- Spend 5-10 minutes watching slow videos or pictures and open peripheral vision.
- Gem Vectograph – Hold at A and tap the center, trying to see the 3D, then hold at 1 and try to see the 3D. Do this with and without my prism glasses on.
- Yoked Prism- While wearing the yoked prism toss a bean bag from hand to hand and try to walk along a straight line and keep peripheral open. Rotate the prisms one quarter turn each day.
Click here to read about my next appointment.