Have you seen the incredible video of a little girl who sees her mommy well for the first time of her life? It went viral during the summer of 2019. If you look closely in the background, you can see that this moment was filmed at an IRIS store! We are really proud to confirm that little Marlowe is a patient at IRIS Nanaimo in British Colombia!
We spoke with Nick and Hayley, the parents of this adorable little girl:
How old was Marlowe in the video? Who is this little girl and how would you describe her personality?
She was 4 ½ months when she got her glasses and the video was taken.
Marlowe is a very happy and content girl. She’s laid back but quick to smile at anyone interacting with her. She loves to look at faces (especially ours).
Were there any clues that led you to notice that Marlowe wasn’t seeing properly? When did you notice that her eyesight was an issue?
We first noticed her eyes making “shaky” movements (later diagnosed as a nystagmus). I noticed this within her first month. Towards 3 months when other babies were seeing and responding to their moms, I noticed Marlowe would only look at me or smile if I was within a few inches from her face, or else she would look lost or blank...sort of like we turned the lights off on her.
How old was she when she had her first eye exam?
Just under 4 months old.
How would you describe the moment when Marlowe saw through her glasses for the first time? (What we see on the video)
It was a lot of mixed emotions for me. It made me sad because I realized just how poor her vision is and how limiting it could potentially be for her.
But, it also made me so happy to see her taking things in for the first time and being able to see us more clearly.
How did you react when you realized that the video had gone viral?
I was a bit nervous at first, but it didn’t surprise us...it was such a special moment that was caught on tape that I felt like we needed to share it.
She gives us the same smile every time we put her glasses on her in the morning. Even when she’s sick or upset, she smiles when her glasses are put on and it makes my heart melt every time.
How would you describe your experience at IRIS Nanaimo?
Amazing!!! We had just gotten the news that Lo needed glasses with an unclear diagnosis/reason why. I was feeling sad and confused with what to do next. We went to a few other places first that couldn’t give us any help to find frames for such a small baby. Michelle at IRIS was lovely and knew exactly what to do/recommend and what the next steps were. She put a plan in place immediately and it made me feel so much more relaxed. Her and Brittany have both been so great through the whole process. It was the personal experience we needed when dealing with a delicate matter like our infant’s eyes.
Are you a patient at IRIS Nanaimo yourself?
We haven’t been, but likely will be moving forward.
How is Marlowe doing with her new glasses?
She LOVES them. Gives us a smile after every nap when they’re put back on her face. She rarely tries to take them off...except when she’s tired and takes them off as a way to communicate to us that she’s ready for a nap, lol.
It was really interesting how she changed in the weeks after she got her glasses. She became very quiet and stopped rolling over as much. It was like she was taking her surroundings in for the first time all over again. So interesting to watch her experience that.
We’re also still working on a potential diagnosis for Marlowe’s myopia and nystagmus through Children's Hospital but have a wonderful team of doctors following her. She is happy and healthy despite not having perfect eyesight.
Experiencing better vision at IRIS starts at a young age! Marlowe is one of the many reasons we, at IRIS, love what we do!
