Dedicated Dad partners with doc to save daughter ’s sight

Five years ago, Dan Lee had planned a big outing with his newly adopted daughter Manisha Sapkota, a 14-year-old from Nepal.
“I was excited to take her to see ‘Toy Story 3D’ — her first 3D movie,” recalls Dan. But Lee was puzzled by his daughter’s response when he asked her what she thought.
“It was OK,” Manisha told her dad.
A few months later, Manisha’s lukewarm response made more sense. During her first physical exam in the U.S. at the Boston Children’s Hospital Martha Eliot Health Center, the doctor suggested Manisha might have amblyopia, or “lazy eye,” in her left eye.
“She told us she couldn’t see anything when the other eye was covered. I thought she was playing. I was shocked,” says Dan.
Manisha was referred to Dr. Amy Moy, director of optometry at Martha Eliot.
“Usually, optometrists see children for their first visit at age 3 or 4, but that’s not the case in Nepal,” explains Moy.
As Dan thought about his new daughter’s medical history, the diagnosis started to make sense. Manisha had probably been born with a lazy left eye that was never diagnosed. Because she didn’t use the eye, her vision worsened. But for Manisha, seeing the world through one eye was normal.
Rigorous testing confirmed the diagnosis — Manisha had lazy eye. Her vision in the left eye was 20/200 — the cutoff for legal blindness.
Treating Manisha’s lazy eye
The Lees followed the standard treatment for lazy eye, covering Manisha’s good right e...

Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - October 19, 2016 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Lisa Fratt Tags: Our Patients’ Stories Amblyopia Dr. Amy Moy lazy eye Martha Eliot Health Center Source Type: news