St. Mary’s Author Turns Son’s Vision Struggles Into Story Of Hope And Awareness

ST. MARY’S COUNTY, Md. — On a day that seemed ordinary, 2-year-old Andrew was picking flowers in his grandmother’s garden when his nana noticed something was wrong.

As he explored the flowers, Andrew struggled to see them clearly. His grandmother recognized that something about his vision did not seem right and encouraged his mother, Laura A. Hill, to have his eyes examined.

That moment would ultimately change the course of Andrew’s life — and years later, inspire Hill’s first children’s book, “Andrew Sees Clearly”.

Today, the St. Mary’s County author hopes her family’s story will help other parents recognize the signs of vision problems in young children and encourage them to seek early intervention.

A Mother’s Search For Answers

Hill said watching her son struggle before his vision issues were identified changed her perspective on how difficult it can be for young children to communicate what they are experiencing.

“Watching him struggle before we understood what was affecting his eyesight opened my eyes to how difficult it can be for children to explain what they are experiencing,” Hill said in an interview with The BayNet.

Once Andrew received the proper care, Hill realized many other families could be facing similar situations without realizing it.

“I wanted to create a story that children could relate to while also encouraging parents to recognize the importance of routine eye exams,” she said. “Writing this book allowed me to turn our family’s experience into something that could educate, encourage and bring hope to others.”

The Challenges Families Often Don’t See

For Hill’s family, one of the biggest lessons was learning that vision problems are not always obvious.

Children often adapt to blurred or limited vision because they do not realize their experience is different from anyone else’s.

“Our journey involved learning that vision problems are not always obvious,” Hill said. “Sometimes children simply adapt because they don’t realize they aren’t seeing clearly.”

The experience taught her family the value of early detection and pediatric eye care. Through the book, she hopes both parents and children learn to speak up when something feels wrong.

“The message I hope readers take away is that parents should trust their instincts, ask questions and never overlook the importance of pediatric eye care,” Hill said.

Traveling For Specialized Care

Beyond her family’s personal experience, Hill also discovered a larger issue affecting many Southern Maryland families: access to pediatric eye specialists.

There are currently no pediatric ophthalmologists located in St. Mary’s County, requiring many families to travel outside the region for appointments.

Hill said her family regularly travels through multiple counties to receive treatment for Andrew.

“There are no pediatric ophthalmologists here, so we have to travel to Annapolis or Clinton for Andrew’s appointments,” she said. “For families who do not have transportation, that kind of travel can be impossible.”

She described the process of calling insurance companies and searching for specialists as both frustrating and discouraging.

“Calling insurance companies and being told there was no specialist available to treat our son was heartbreaking and very discouraging,” Hill said.

Even now, the family travels from St. Mary’s County through Calvert County into Anne Arundel County for Andrew’s care.

“That is a lot for any family to manage,” she said.

Becoming A First-Time Author

Although Hill had long hoped to make a difference in children’s lives, becoming an author was a new journey.

She said publishing “Andrew Sees Clearly” required learning every aspect of the process, from writing and editing to publishing and marketing.

“Although publishing my first book was challenging, it was also incredibly rewarding,” Hill said. “Seeing my book in the hands of young readers has made every challenge worthwhile.”

As a St. Mary’s County resident, she said she is proud to represent the local community and hopes her experience encourages other aspiring writers.

“I’m proud to represent our community and hope to inspire other aspiring authors to pursue their dreams,” she said.

Helping Children Feel Seen

At its heart, “Andrew Sees Clearly” is about much more than eye exams and glasses.

Hill hopes children who read the book will recognize themselves in Andrew’s story and understand that asking for help is a strength.

“I want young readers to know that wearing glasses or receiving eye treatment is nothing to be embarrassed about — it simply helps them experience the world more clearly,” she said.

For parents, she hopes the book serves as a reminder that early screenings and intervention can have a lasting impact.

“Above all, I hope families walk away feeling informed, encouraged and inspired to advocate for their children’s health while enjoying a story they can read together,” Hill said.

“Andrew Sees Clearly” is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Fenwick Street Books. Hill recently participated in the Local Author Fair at the Charlotte Hall Library and continues to advocate for children’s vision health awareness throughout Southern Maryland.

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