[blindkid] Conformer question?

[dhammelia at aol.com]

 Our twins are almost 7 and are still using the conformers.

We adopted them when they were 3 so had some lost time in getting their eye sockets up to size.

They are ready for painted shells at any time but they have other problems mainly autistic spectrum that makes it difficult for them to stay put long enough for the fitting.

The last 2 fittings we did in coordination with eye exams under anesthesia and when they had ear tubes inserted.

Just an added caution that a few people have touched on.

Insurance (specifically Blue Cross) is objecting to paying what it costs for a good occularist.

So many of the occularists are no longer Blue Cross providers.

The insurance thinks that what are called stock eyes are sufficient.

There can be fit problems etc.

So if you can afford it or can fight with your insurance it is worth it to deal with a licensed occularist.

David Hammel


 


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Holloway <rholloway at gopbc.org>
Sent: Thu, 14 May 2009 4:39 pm
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Conformer question?









I should correct an error from my earlier reply-- Our daughter, Kendra is six-years-old. I think she got her most recent set of painted shells at about age four but got her first painted ones at age two (more specifically at about 25 months) and had started with her first clear conformer on one side at about two months. We did find that at such a young age with the painted shells she looked a bit "doll-like" with the them in because the size of the irises and retinas was a bit larger than they would typically have appeared but we were very pleased with the overall effect.?
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Still, the most important thing to us by far was getting the conformers which have a much more pronounced effect on bone development as opposed to adding the immediate cosmetic effects of the painted shells. (If we'd have waited longer to get the shells to replace the conformers there would have been no long-term effect from the delay as her body grew and developed-- the bones could care less if what is pressing against them is clear or looks like a typical eye....)?
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Richard?
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On May 13, 2009, at 9:30 PM, Laurie Burns wrote:?
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> Hi there,?

> Is anyone familiar with conformers?  Our eye doctor suggested it for > our daughter to help keep the eyes healthy.  Hannah is completely > blind.  She explained that these conformers will help to keep the > eye healthy and growing.  If we do nothing, then eventually her eyes > may start to set back in her head further and further.  SHe also > said that the eyelids/eyes don't grow and this helps to stretch out > the eye area/lids to make her look more "normal".  They are a hard, > clear, plastic shell that you insert over the eye.  Eventually you > can have them painted different colors if you want.  I hope this > makes sense and someone else has gone through this?  I was just > wondering if this is necessary, cosmetic, a good idea???  Any > thoughts would be helpful!  Thank you!  Laurie Wages?

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