You never know anything like this exists, until your child is diagnosed with it. I figured Jo just had a lazy eye, that would correct its self over time. Maybe we would have to patch it or she would get glasses. Not the case.
Duane's syndrome (type I) is made up of three parts: an inability to move an eye laterally away from the nose with widening of the eyes (palpebral fissure), retraction of the eye when attempting to look close or towards ones nose; and retraction of the eye. In the picture above the left eye can not look left while in the picture below, the eye moves back in the socket with narrowing of the aperture of the eyes. There are two other uncommon types of Duanes: Duane II where by the eye has trouble looking toward the nose (opposite to Duane's I); and Duane III made up of a combination of I and II. A patient with Duane's is likely to have an eye turn inwards at distance.
What Jo has is Type 1. I took her to the ophthalmologist this morning and after 2 hours, that is what they were able to come up with. It isn't something there is a cure for, or that you can fix. Typically people with this disorder find ways to overcompensate, simply by turning their head. I shouldn't affect her in school, or any other aspect of life. Just one of those things. There are actually some funny videos on you tube of people with "crazy eyes." Maybe one day Jo can do her own. What a firecracker this girl is. Nothing is ever going to slow her down!
Here is a picture of me and the kids at the schools "Moms and Muffins."
