2:26am December 15, 2013

In response to a question from madeofpatterns ages ago, about eyesight.

So… From what I understand, if you have misaligned eyes, and your brain has adapted to it so that you don’t see double anymore, then getting the surgery can actually screw up your vision. That’s what I was told.

Understand I’m not in that same situation, because my exotropia is caused by variations in muscle weakness, so it changes in how extreme it is. When I’m on meds and not tired, it’s less extreme. When I’m off meds or tired, it’s more extreme.

But what I was told is that if your brain has adapted, it can be bad to mess with it.

I’m in a weird situation where my brain semi-adapts and then has to adapt all over again as my eye position changes. Often I don’t know that I’m seeing double until I try really hard and focus and count the number of things I’m seeing. I’m told that’s the first phase of adaptation, and I don’t quite get to the phase where my brain shuts out everything from one of my eyes. Like it temporarily sort of shuts it out, but not permanently all the way. Or I’ll see double but be able to concentrate on what I’m seeing through one eye. Always the left, I’ve noticed, which is my dominant eye.

I hope any of this is helpful.

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