Psychological implications of a vision disorder

Abstract

The paper discusses how the condition of crossed-eyes affects a baby's eye contact with mother and potentially results in the loss of a vital emotional connection with her during the earliest days of life. This loss may contribute to a rupture that arrests emotional development at a deep psychic level. It is suggested that, in the same way as premature separation, the rupture can precipitate a 'fusional complex', a defence that develops to protect the infant against psychotic anxieties. The paper proposes that psychological development atrophies in this place and creates a blind spot. These ideas are explored through analytic theory and developmental literature. The dreams of a patient and his art are used to illustrate a 10-year 'alchemical' process of bringing repressed material into consciousness and transformation. Healing the psychological wounds of deficits in early eye contact may be found to bring sight to a blind spot that was created by the nature of the condition itself.

Keywords: Augenkontakt; Beziehung; Blindheit; Fusion; Sehkraft; Separation; angoisse psychotique; ansia psicotica; ansiedad psicótica; apego; attaccamento; attachement; attachment; blind spot; blinder Fleck; blindness; cecità; ceguera; contact visuel; contacto visual; contatto visivo; cécité; eye contact; fusion; fusione; fusión; macchia cieca; point aveugle; psychotic anxiety; psychotische Angst; punto ciego; separación; separation; separazione; séparation; vision; vision disorder; visione; visión; зрение; контакт глазами; привязанность; психотическая тревога; сепарация; слепое пятно; слепота; слияние; 依恋; 分离; 目光接触; 盲; 盲点; 精神紧张; 融合; 视力.