Lori,
My AN effected eye is sown shut halfway across; a lateral Tarsorrhaphy. You're right, its much better to have even partial sight than none at all. I've been there, having worn an eye patch for months after surgery. I have full sensation in my bum eye. I say that with confidence because I can feel everything going on in there...touch, tears, the soothing feeling of a load of PM Refresh being applied and so on.
This is my emotional stance on the subject. Having an eye sown shut, halfway or otherwise, impacts your appearance tremendously; no great secret. Remember when we were kids and would stare at the "different" person walking toward us in the mall. That's different person is you, me and everyone else living with a noticeable physical difference / disability, AN related or otherwise. I can easily understand how a young man like JC's son would opt to have the Tarsorrhaphy reversed. Todd's point is certainly valid though, especially if eyelid function issues related to nerve traumatization haven't self resolved and the eye will be left exposed.
I fear I'll be left with a bum eye for the rest of my life. Fear is probably not a good description. Disappointment better describes how I feel. The way I figure it, I'm a 52 year old man. It's not like I have to worry about impressing anyone by my appearance.
I say let the young guy have the reversal on strict advisement that he's doing so against medical advise if thats actually the case. Should he fail to properly care for the eye, he should know that irreversible damage could result. Sorry, long way to a short response...its lunch time, I had time to kill.
Take Care!
Doc
