Little People, Big World stars Tori and Zach Roloff revealed that their daughter, Lilah Roloff, may require surgery for her strabismus to correct her vision.
Tori and Zach’s 1-year-old daughter, Lilah Ray, has a condition called strabismus, or crossed eyes, which is typically caused by poor muscle control in the eyes. Lilah currently wears glasses and an eye patch to correct her vision.
Viewers watched this season as Lilah got her first pair of glasses, which Tori wasn’t initially thrilled about because she didn’t think they’d look “cute.”
But Lilah took to wearing glasses like a seasoned pro, and even allows her parents to place eye patches on her affected eye to help with focus and depth perception.
“Lilah has strabismus, and so she wears glasses to help get her eyes realigned. And now she also has to wear an eye patch for an hour a day, hopefully to correct the inward-turning of her right eye,” Tori shared during a recent episode.
Lilah sat still like a big girl while Tori applied her temporary eye patch, and dad Zach encouraged her good behavior by telling her, “Good job, Lilah!”
Lilah’s condition isn’t ‘super serious’ but it may require surgery eventually
Tori explained that Lilah’s condition isn’t too much to worry about, but it could mean surgery down the road for the toddler.
“I mean, strabismus is not a super serious situation,” Tori explained to viewers, “They’re monitoring her every three months. We take her and just because they don’t want her depth perception to be messed up, because one eye is turned inwards. That’s really the only concern at this point.”
Zach added what he’s noticed about Lilah’s vision. “I notice a difference when it’s long-distance. If she’s over there, looking at me, I notice it. Up close, it’s not as bad,” Zach noted.
Tori noticed that when Lilah is tired or focusing on something long-distance, is usually when she “goes cross-eyed.”
“I think she’s gonna probably need surgery,” Tori told Zach, after noticing that Lilah’s condition has worsened. “If she has to have surgery, it’s a super quick surgery. They’re home the same day, and so, who knows? We’ll see what happens.”
Tori and Zach deal with their family’s health issues in stride
Tori and Zach have dealt with several health issues with their children, who are both achondroplasia dwarves. Their son Jackson, 4, is facing leg surgery in the future to correct the bowing in his legs.
Tori came under fire recently when trolls accused her of having dwarf children for “notoriety” and “fame.” Her haters felt as though she didn’t fully think through the future health complications she’ll likely face with having children who are dwarves.
Despite the potential health issues they’ll face with having two children who are little people, Tori and Zach are still hoping to add another baby Roloff to their family.
After suffering a devastating miscarriage earlier this year, Tori and Zach are wishing for a rainbow baby to join siblings Jackson and Lilah.
Little People, Big World airs on Tuesdays at 9/8c on TLC and Discovery Plus.