THE EYES HAVE IT. Until they don’t.
Next week I undergo bilateral strabismus eye surgery at M Health Fairview Clinics and Surgery Center in Minneapolis. Basically, I’m having surgery to align my misaligned eyes. The neuro ophthalmologist will cut into the white of my eyes and then the muscles, tightening them into alignment using adjustable sutures. That’s the plan. Randy has advised me not to watch any online videos. I have no intention of doing so. Reading about this surgery is more than enough for me.
The thing is, I’ve had this surgery before. Sixty-three years ago. I was just four, cross-eyed and needing medical intervention to correct my vision. Patching my lazy eye didn’t work. So my parents took me to a specialist in New Ulm 60 miles away from our southwestern Minnesota farm. Eventually, ophthalmologist Dr. Theodore Fritsche would do corrective eye surgery at Union Hospital. I will always be grateful to this surgeon and to my parents for recognizing I needed help or I likely would have gone blind in one eye.
I remember little about that long ago surgery except drinking tomato juice at the hospital and looking at books. The books I understand. But tomato juice? I like it now, but didn’t as a preschooler. I also remember getting orange circus peanut candy as a treat from the dime-store following my numerous appointments. I’ve blocked any other memories.
Fast forward to today and how I got here, on the brink of another corrective eye surgery.
As my neuro ophthalmologist explains, my eye muscles loosened through the decades, shifting my eyes into misalignment. My brain was compensating for the most part until I experienced neurological issues following a January 2023 viral infection suspected to be COVID. (I self-tested negative twice.) The niggles of double vision which had bothered me for a few years, mostly in the evening when I was tired, worsened. COVID messed up my brain function and communication between the brain and my eyes was misfiring. In the past year, it’s become increasingly difficult to only see one, even with prisms in my prescription lenses. Trying to see only one taxes, exhausts, me. Sometimes I can’t read. Sometimes I close one eye simply to eliminate the double vision. It is getting to be too much.
Once I completed 5 ½ months of vestibular rehab therapy to retrain my brain and help me deal with the devastating affects of long haul COVID, I was ready to see a professional about my double vision. I started locally. I went into an August ophthalmology appointment optimistically thinking I could simply get a new pair of prescription eyeglasses with more prisms added. Not so. As the ophthalmologist held up prism after prism to my eyes, it became clear nothing in his trays of prisms would effectively improve my vision. I was, he said, beyond his realm of expertise and would need to see a specialist.
After a several-month wait, I saw the neuro ophthalmologist at M Health Fairview in late October. Following 2 ½ hours of exhaustive testing, of looking through prisms and layers of prisms, I understood that I was well beyond the corrective lenses with prisms option. I would need surgery.
So here I am after another long wait—three months this time—on the cusp of bilateral strabismus eye surgery. I just want to be done. I am hopeful this outpatient surgery will fix my eyes and eliminate my double vision. Am I scared? Yes. The idea of undergoing general anesthesia and having a surgeon cut into my eyes and eye muscles is frightening. If only I could zoom back in time to my 4-year-old self who remembers nothing but books, tomato juice and circus peanut candy.
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FYI: If I’m absent from blogging for a while, it’s because I’m resting my eyes, recovering from surgery. I’ll be back, hopefully no longer seeing double.
© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Oh, Audrey. You’ve been through such an ordeal! Sending prayers that the upcoming surgery will go well and correct your vision! ❤ ❤
Thank you, Penny. I appreciate your care and prayers.
Audrey,
My husband just had this surgery on both eyes on December 14th in Rochester. The recovery is longer than we imagined. His 6 week check is January 25th. Can’t wait to hear what they have to say about his vision. It has varied from blurry to clear to double vision during recovery.
Praying all goes well for you.
Thanks for sharing about your husband’s bilateral strabismus surgery. I pray his vision improves soon. I know going into this that the surgery may not fix my vision issues. I’m trying to be optimistic. As Randy told me, it worked 63 years ago when I had the surgery done by a small town doctor. That in itself is amazing. Please keep me posted either via a personal email or a comment here, which I won’t publish. Prayers for complete healing.
Sending my prayers!
Thank you so much, Mark. I appreciate all the love, support and prayers I’m getting.
I’m so sorry that you’ve had to endure all of this, and hope that this is the solution to help you get back on track. I know it is scary, but may change everything for the better. my thoughts are with you for an easy surgery and recovery, and rest those eyes as long as the need it. we’ll be here to welcome you when you get back.
Thank you, Beth. I’m trying to focus on exactly what you write, that this surgery may improve my vision. I appreciate your care, concern and positive words. If time allows, I will write some blog posts in advance of surgery and schedule them to publish during my recovery. Right now I’m trying to get my monthly photo essay column done for a regional A & E magazine.
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Prayers for your upcoming surgery. We will pray that your correction will be wonderful. As a nurse, I know surgery is scary for everyone so will pray you have calming nurses and Drs to reassure you throughout this process. . prayers kathy
Kathy, thank you for your compassion and prayers. I wish you were my nurse. But, in general, every nurse who’s ever cared for me has been kind, compassionate and supportive. And I’ve been through many surgeries in my life.
That is good to hear. I know how these surgeries can go esp on eyes. so rest and allow them to do their work for a great outcome.
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I’ve made it through many health challenges, so I expect I will manage this one also. I certainly have a great support team in all my caring blog readers and in friends and family.
I am very happy that you can have this surgery to help get your eyes back in alignment. That double vision has to be horrible and with all the other challenges you have had you definitely are on overload. Praying for a successful surgery and a full and complete recovery!
Thank you, Beth Ann, for your love and prayers. Your comment reminds me of what my primary care doctor said last week during my pre-op. He encouraged me, etc, and as we parted ways, I said, “Says he who isn’t having this surgery.” Bottom line, I AM thankful there’s surgery that may improve my vision.
Wishing you all the best with your eye surgery! May you have a quick recovery.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful stories about life in Faribault (and southern Minnesota) with us. I miss Minnesota so much (Faribault, Waseca, Mankato, Owatonna, Rochester) and love to read about what’s happening there.
Best wishes, Karen Adams Roanoke, Virginia
Karen, I’m happy to take you back to Minnesota, a place you clearly miss and love.
Thank you for your compassionate words regarding my upcoming eye surgery. I have such a caring family of blog readers.
You are in my prayers! So is your surgeon and your husband. I’ll be looking forward to your updates. ~Janell
Thank you, Janell. Your support and encouragement, and now your prayers have been much appreciated during this journey I’ve been on this past year. You’ve certainly experienced your own health struggles and I’m thankful you are improving.
Wishing you the BEST – sending prayers and healing vibes. Medical technology has come a long way – thank goodness for that – preventative to corrective and even with surgeries. I really hope this is the final hurdle to all that you have been dealing with lately. Take Care
Thank you for your prayers and positive thoughts, Renee. I am feeling so uplifted this morning after reading the many encouraging comments. You’re right. Medical technology has come a long ways. 🙂
I pray that your surgery is successful.
Thank you so much for your prayers!
Eye surgery is scary, but it sounds like you have an expert to do it. I hope all goes well.
I do have an expert in neuro ophthalmologist Dr. Collin McClelland. I feel confident in his skills and know he will do his very best to try and help me. I appreciate your caring comment, Bernadette.
I will keep you in my prayers for a successful surgery and a quick recovery with improved vision. I know you will do what the doctor tells you to do. I’m glad you have Randy there to encourage you.
Yes, Randy is such an encouragement to me. So thankful for him. Thank you for your prayers, dear Valerie.
Sending you wishes for a speedy recovery. I’m glad that things will be improving.
Fear sucks, and we tend to be squeamish about our eyes. I have every confidence.
I wonder if the sedation was in the juice?
Thank you, Michelle. I have a very competent surgeon, for sure.
My grandkids have a saying nowadays, when something disturbs them: “That’s ‘cringe’!”, they say. After reading about what that surgery entails, I have to say, “That’s cringe…” I wish you the very best during and after your surgery!
I like that phrase. It certainly fits here in describing my upcoming surgery. I appreciate your sharing this and also your best wishes. Thank you!
Sending prayers, hugs, and well-wishes!! May everything go wonderfully under the care of your competent surgeon.
Thank you, Rose, for your prayers, hugs and well wishes. I just picked up my new prism free prescription eyeglasses this morning to take with me to surgery. Whether I will need prisms added will be determined post surgery and healing.
As you know, prayers always! Vivian
As always, thank you, dear Vivian. I appreciate you, your prayers, love and care.
Audrey, you and Randy have certainly had more than your share of medical difficulties this past year and now this. Super prayers and best wishes coming your way, may God bless!
Thank you for your prayers, Sandra. 🙂