What is wrong with Hazel Grace Busby's eyes? Here's why 'OutDaughtered' star requires surgery for her condition
It comes as no surprise that 'OutDaughtered' fans absolutely adore toddler Hazel Grace Busby, or as she is affectionately called, Hazel Basil. The vibrant and vivacious six-year-old has a little fan following of her own, seeing as to just how fun-loving, sweet and independent she is!
According to her profile on TLC: "Hazel is the 3rd baby born and the smallest at birth at 2lbs. She is the only baby who has red hair and blue eyes. All the others are blonde hair with blue eyes. She has an eye condition called nystagmus that causes her eyes to flutter uncontrollably. Hazel is super sweet and loves to cuddle. She is the last baby to walk, but she has the biggest vocabulary."
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A lot of Hazel's unique features set her apart from her sisters, but her most identifiable ones are her fiery red hair and blue eyes. Owing to her eye condition, she is required to wear glasses, even though she's quite young. So, what is nystagmus? Is it curable? And how will this condition continue to affect little Hazel?
What is nystagmus?
Nystagmus is a condition where the eyes make repetitive, uncontrolled movements. These results in reduced depth perception and can affect balance and coordination, which can be problematic when seen in infants and toddlers, seeing that they are just developing their cognitive skills.
No exact reason is known to cause the disease. This condition is often caused by a neurological problem at birth or develops in early childhood. Acquired nystagmus, which develops later in life, is often the symptom of another condition or disease, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis or trauma.
What does that mean for Hazel?
The last update on Hazel's condition was that she required surgery again, which took Adam and Danielle by surprise, seeing that they thought she was improving. There has been no update on the situation yet. However, as per an Instagram post dating back to August of last year, we know that Hazel went back to the doctor for a follow-up.
Seeing that the family signs a non-disclosure form when it comes to sharing details such as this, no new information was revealed about her condition or the update. But, as SoapDirt reported, fans speculated that it could be either one of two things — the correct lenses she was prescribed are working or that this appointment was a follow-up for the impending surgery. Either way, by the look of her parent's Instagram posts, Hazel Basil is as lively and vivacious as ever.
The Busbys don't shy away from talking about Hazel's condition
As with Danielle's PCOS, the family understands the needs to have healthy conversations around medical health issues, as opposed to treating these issues like a secret. The family even shared a post on World Nystagmus Awareness Day, to talk about the condition.
The caption reads: "Today is Nystagmus Awareness Day. Nystagmus is a condition that we knew nothing about before having this little miracle Ginger. This condition that causes Hazel’s eyes to wobble has no cure. There are only treatments for the symptoms that come along with it. We have no idea how far-reaching her condition will affect her later in life."
"We have heard it all; from being considered legally blind and not being able to drive a car, to just needing glasses and may struggle to focus and everything in between. We are so thankful for her amazing attitude and how she takes every difficulty in stride. Here is to hoping that one day, a doctor somewhere can crack the code on this rare condition. #hazelgrace#outdaughtered #itsabuzzworld#NystagmusAwarenessDay."
Watch 'OutDaughtered' Season 8 on TLC on Tuesdays at 8 pm ET.