Soon after she was born, Daisy was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia, a condition where the optic nerve never fully develops.
Daisy also has nystagmus, a condition that causes involuntary movement of the eyes. Due to both of these conditions, she lives with 30 – 50 per cent of vision in her left eye, and 50 per cent of vision in her right.
Because of Daisy’s diagnosis, Louisa, Daisy’s mother, was concerned for her daughter’s future.
In particular, Louisa worried about Daisy’s ability to adjust to life in school.
With that in mind, and upon a recommendation from the NDIA, Louisa reached out to Vision Australia for support.
Caption: Vision Australia paediatric occupational therapist Courtney has worked closely with Daisy to help her meet her development goals.
In doing so, Louisa and Daisy were connected with Courtney, a paediatric occupational therapist who has been helping Daisy reach her developmental milestones for almost two and a half years.
Courtney’s support has ensured that Daisy is able to distinguish colours, utilise her depth perception, and ultimately, enjoy her childhood alongside her peers.
This support, along with connecting with other parents, has Louisa much more confident about Daisy’s future.
“I think a lot about the other parents I’ve met in various forums and groups who have kids with various vision problems. You see them when they join these groups and they’re so scared of what the future holds,” Louisa said.
“You check in on them a year into the future and both your child and theirs are just kicking goals. I no longer have the concerns that I used to.”
For more information about how Vision Australia can help you, call 1300 84 74 66 or email [email protected].