Patient Stories
Our optometrist brought our daughter’s double vision into focus.
Sloane Montgomery’s parents – Madison, MS
Always a funny little prankster, Sloane’s parents thought she was playing when she said she saw two mommies and two daddies. Her father then noticed one of her eyes turned inward, and it seemed to be getting worse. Googling Sloane’s symptoms only exacerbated their fears. Uncertain if they should take Sloane to the ER or the Children’s Hospital, their first call was to Dr. Walley, a family friend and optometrist in Tennessee. Dr. Walley quickly put them in touch with Dr. Jimbo Bearden in Madison.
Even though it was a Saturday morning, Dr. Bearden met Sloane’s family at his clinic. He gave Sloane her first eye exam and was able to allay her parents’ fears. Sloane’s condition, accommodative esotropia and farsightedness, was easily corrected by wearing eyeglasses. She would also need to wear an eye patch for a couple of hours a day. Dr. Bearden knew it might not be easy to convince Sloane to wear a patch, so he helped her parents find fun character patches for her. He next let her pick out her very first pair of glasses that were pink and purple and perfect for Sloane’s colorful personality.
Her father then noticed one of her eyes turned inward, and it seemed to be getting worse.
Sloane visits Dr. Bearden’s office often for fist bumps and eyeglass repairs (a 5-year-old can be tough on glasses). He also keeps her parents up-to-date on Sloane’s vision. And while Sloane’s vision problems were easily corrected, they could have been detected at an earlier age. But Sloane’s parents were unaware children should have their first comprehensive eye exam as early as six months of age. Now the whole family sees Dr. Bearden for an eye exam every year.
