“Fixing you” is an ongoing investigation on strabismus. Strabismus affected my childhood.
Through the analysis of my reminiscences, archival material and the involvement of other people that experienced it, I am re-examining how a disease could shape the identity and the perception of ourselves. Moreover, I’m trying to understand also how others could perceive and define people.
Strabismus is quite common, 4% of the population, and it’s not only aesthetic. It hides many other problems: oculomotor disorders, developmental delay, headaches, and balance problems; many are not good at sports or reading.
Also not having a stereoscopic vision means adapting to not having a sense of depth.
Psychosocial difficulties relating to socially noticeable strabismus are not just a problem for school children but also for teenagers and adults.
Often the solution for strabismus is a surgical operation, the correction may offer them improvement in psycho- social functioning.
Strabismus could be corrected in many cases but it ne- ver disappears completely.
Calvino used to say that the philosopher and the poet are cross-eyed creatures. The philosopher is cross-eyed towards the outside, with one eye flying after ideas that others cannot understand because unable to look at them obliquely; the poet cross-eyes inwards, with the pupils closed and restless, intent on understanding how every external sensation produces reverberation in the most secret and inner part of himself.
The entire story will be published on this website on March 2024.
