When Lily Fleet of East London posted a video of her infant son Ari on social media, a message from a stranger confirmed her fears that something was wrong with the boy’s left eye. And, though the random message was scary, it was the very thing that saved her child’s sight!
Lily’s video, a total of ten seconds, was simply a clip of Baby Boy before and after being dressed up for the day. But, as brief as the video was, it caught the attention of Optometrist Laura Brown!
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Though Dr. Brown was torn about reaching out to Lily, fearing that receiving a message from a stranger might seem odd, she decided that she could not ignore the concerns she had about the child’s vision. Dr. Laura observed that Ari’s eye appeared cloudy and had an outward squint, and she urged Lily to have her 8-week-old checked by a specialist.
The tests revealed that Ari had congenital glaucoma, which can lead to blindness if untreated. His condition required an urgent operation, inserting a tube in his eye to drain excess fluid. Interestingly, new mom Lily had already seen a doctor and expressed her worries about her sweet baby’s eye.
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At his six-week visit, Lily inquired about Ari’s lack of focus and his unusual squint. But doctors told her to follow up after three months if the problem persisted. The cloudiness, caused by the build-up of fluid, appeared a week later.
Upon receiving the message from a stranger (Dr. Brown), Lily took Ari to a specialist. Optometrists, according to Dr. Brown, are the professionals who perform thorough testing and are most likely to recognize eye disorders.
Thankfully, the issue was corrected in time. Dr. Brown said, “He would 100% have lost all or most of the vision in that eye in a couple of months if it had been left untreated.”
Dr. Brown urges parents to follow their instincts with regard to concerns for their kids. What a blessing that she also trusted her gut and contacted Lily about her own worries for Ari! Lily said, “I’m so grateful to her for reaching out. It’s something I’ll never forget. It would be lovely to have an impact on someone’s life like that.”
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“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26
h/t: Good News Network
Featured Image Credit: Youtube/SWNS
Hally is a freelance writer, blogger, and mental health advocate. A former school counselor, Hally works for a nonprofit that distributes tax dollars to mental health and prevention education providers that serve her county's kids and families. She's a contributor to a devotional and two essay collectives, and she shares resources and wisdom regarding parenting teens, mental health, faith, adoption, and more at http://www.hallyjwells.com where she strives to "Dig Deep and Reach High." She and her husband have three adult children and one rascally beagle pup. Hally loves travel, her book club sisters, personality tests, and a great glass of iced tea.