Strabismus is a common eye condition among kids where the eyes don’t quite line up – without correction, one or both eyes can wander further, and that can lead to adverse psychosocial effects, even vision loss.
Ali’s strabismus became evident around the age of a year old – her eye turn progressed and became so severe that you couldn’t see the colour of her eye, says mom, Ashlee. The family found the care their little girl needed at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.
After consulting with Dr. Astle in the Guru Nanak Dev Ji Vision Clinic, Ashlee and Aaron were told their little girl would need surgery to correct her left eye. Scary news for any parent, the vision team and hospital experts were always there to answer questions and to ensure everyone – mom, dad, Ali – felt good about the road ahead. Ali underwent her first surgery at the age of two years old though a second corrective surgery would be needed at the age of four. Mom says her little girl had been worried that other kids would make fun of her in kindergarten.
By the time her second surgery day came, Ali had developed such a rapport with Dr. Astle and the vision team that Ali was excited. “She was really looking forward to it – it was her special day,” says mom.
“Before my surgeries I had no depth perception and would walk into walls and fall all day long,” says Ali.
Today Ali is a happy, thriving eight-year-old with a tonne of friends, and she credits Dr. Astle with helping her. “Dr Astle fixed my eyes,” she says. “He is my real-life hero.” Ali is also an avid dancer whose dance company is fundraising to help hospital experts provide the kind of specialized care she received, when she needed it. “I don’t know if I would be dancing if it wasn’t for the Alberta Children’s Hospital.”
