OutDaughtered's Adam And Danielle Busby Are Hopeful Hazel's Vision Issues Won't Hold Her Back

TLC's "Outdaughtered" parents, Adam and Danielle Busby, hope that the thing that helps Hazel Busby, one of their six daughters, stand out won't be the thing that holds her back. Hazel is the only sister of the Busby quintuplets who wears glasses, making it easy to pick her out amongst her siblings. However, her parents are concerned that her vision problems may impact her future. 

"Hazel has an eye condition she was born with that's called congenital nystagmus," Adam explained in an "OutDaughtered" clip. "It's an involuntary eye flutter. When she was a baby, all the way up to her first surgery, she would look off to the left and force her eye to the right corner so she could focus."

Due to her eye condition, Hazel had surgery as a baby and uses vision aids today, including glasses and occasionally an eye patch. As Hazel continues to grow and reach new childhood milestones — like riding a bike — her parents are hopeful that her vision won't disaffect her ability to have these important moments.

In an August 2023 episode of "Outdaughtered," the Busby quintuplets talked about their latest goal: bike riding. As her other sisters, Parker, Riley, and Olivia Busby, boasted about their bicycling skills, Hazel Busby quietly sat with a noticeably nervous expression. "I'm not excited to learn how to ride my bike," she admitted (via People). 

This hesitation to learn new skills was a cause of concern for parents Adam and Danielle Busby, with mom and dad offering a different approach to dealing with their daughter's struggles. Adam was worried that Hazel's trepidation to learn how to ride a bike had to do with how her vision shifted when she moved more quickly. However, Danielle wasn't as ready to place blame on Hazel's congenital nystagmus.

"Look at Ava," Danielle argued. "Ava gets nervous to go fast on a bike and is kind of still scared of it. I don't know if it's vision or not. I don't wanna jump to that being the thing every time. Because we wouldn't second guess that if it was any of the other girls. But because Hazel has nystagmus, we must immediately say, 'That's what it is.'"

The Busbys have captivated TLC audiences for years as they manage to take care of all their daughters, including the all-girl quintuplets and their oldest daughter, Blayke Busby. Unsurprisingly, raising a family with six kids has offered plenty of learning opportunities, from navigating Hazel Busby's vision problems to dad Adam Busby opening up about his experience with postpartum depression. Through it all, the Busbys have stayed focused on and dedicated to one another.

Regarding Hazel's vision, their mom, Danielle Busby, is confident that things will improve as Hazel grows more confident. "It's more about her just speaking up for herself and communicating," she said (via People). The mother of six suggested that Adam ask Hazel how she's feeling about her vision, instead of assuming it's an issue, to which he replied, "I'll try that." 

Luckily, both the Busby parents can see how optimistic Hazel's attitude is — even if riding a bike makes her a bit nervous. "[Hazel] sees everything differently from everyone else. Whether it's good news or bad news, she's super bright and upbeat. I hope she never loses that," Adam shared in an "OutDaughtered" clip.