Astigmatism- Child Vision Question

[campinggal]

Hi All-

Just came from taking DD (age 7) to the eye doctor. Trip was prompted by DDs resistence to reading 'chapter books' and complaining that she didn't like how the sentences were too close together. Since her last eye exam was at age 5, we figured it was a good thing to do.

Doctor said she has an astigmatism but mild enough that the need for glasses become the parental decision. Many people with an astigmatism don't opt for glasses but others do.

DD doesn't seem to have any other troubles in the classroom with seeing the board and such.

Any parents out there come across this with thier children? What did you opt to do?

Just curious.

Thanks!

 

[grinningghost]

Get the glasses. My DD was first diagnosed with astigmatism in 2nd grade. Her astigmatism never improved, just got worse and worse over the years, where she had to have vision correction to function.

There's no sense hoping she can do without the glasses, when it's quite possible they would help her read and do everything so much easier. Besides, it would get her used to wearing glasses early - much less traumatic that way I think.

 

[Lizzydoll73]

I would get the glasses now. I have an astigmatism and I have worn glasses since the 5th grade. I think it would have helped me if I had them earlier though. I would not be able to read without them and I get bad headaches if I don't wear them.

 

[sha_lyn]

No astigmatism experience with my kids, but me.
I guess I've always had a very mild astigmatism. Eye Dr caught it when I was about 10 or 11 I guess. My eyes would strain easily and as you DD said, lines of writing would seem too close together. To me they actually seem to curve a little. I would say get the glasses but don't insist that she wear them all the time. I really only need mine when I'm focusing on something for a long time, be it close up or far away.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I have astygmatism. There is nothing wrong with my vision, it's 20/20. I get major headaches if I don't wear my glasses for reading though. So I'd suggest getting the glasses.

 

[campinggal]

Once again...I love the wealth of info on these boards!!!

Thanks all!

I'm leaning toward the glasses too- the reading thing could just be her stubborness because she doesn't 'like' it but at least with the glasses there will be no question about what she can't see or what might be causing her not to 'like' reading- particularly as she graduates to true 'chapter' books and the print continues to get smaller.

Thanks again everybody!!

 

[Chris2597]

OMG!! When I was a child......many years ago...my mom took me to the eye dr. when I complained that I was having trouble focusing on the words in books....no trouble with the board, but the words in books would blend together and my eyes would get tired....The eye dr. told her 30 some years ago the exact same thing that your eye doc said...."we can correct it with glasses but at this time it is up to you"....well my mom chose not to get the glasses....telling me that it must just be in my head and to concentrate more on my work and that I probably just wanted glasses...like a few of my friends..........Reading became a struggle....I loved to read but soon only read for school work and not for pleasure....I took myself to the eye dr. when I was in my jr. year of high school.....of course my eye sight was perfect, except for the astigmatism.....The dr. prescribed some corrective lenses and for the first time in many years....things lite up....I could actually see the individual leaves on the tree.....I was like...wow...they dont all blend together..I didnt even realize I wasnt seeing leaves correctly....I just wanted to be able to more comfortably read.....I think that is the major thing with an astigmatism.....it is uncomfortable to read or focus on things that fit together or are grouped.....It was wonderful to start reading again for pleasure.
My advise is get her glasses.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Another person with astigmatism chiming in.

I've had 'mixed' astigmatism for years. Get the glasses, it'll make everything so much better.

TOV

 

[janette]

My 13yo DD has an uncorrected astigmatism, she wears contacts and they've said it isn't bad enough to wear special contacts for. She sometimes has trouble focusing on the board and other things but has never complained about reading.

Something you might want to check into is Light Sensitivity (Scotopic Sensitivity), this is something that can make reading hard for some people. I know someone who said their DD could read so much better after using the overlays. My MIL always wanted me to try this for my younger DD who is dyslexic. She had a student that it also really helped. I think they have special lamps too. This is a discription from a Dyslexia site but I'm sure you can find more specific information.

Light Sensitivity (Scotopic Sensitivity)
A small percentage (3% to 8%) of people with dyslexia also have light sensitivity (sometimes called scotopic sensitivity). These people have a hard time seeing small black print on white paper. The print seems to shimmer or move; some see the rivers of white more strongly than the black words. These people tend to dislike florescent lighting, and often "shade" the page with their hand or head when they read.

Colored plastic overlays and/or colored lenses can eliminate the harsh black print against white paper contrast, and may make letters stand still for the first time in someone's life. However, the plastic overlays or colored lenses will not "cure" dyslexia, nor will they teach a dyslexic person how to read.

 

[jel0511]

I've had astigmatism since 5th grade. And it had gotten to the point that my astigmatism was SO BAD, that glasses couldn't completely fix the problem. I really needed to wear contacts to see 20/20. An astigmatism is the fact that your eye is elongated, and it distorts your vision, hence why people can have 20/20 vision with an astigmatisn. In the early days of my problem, contacts didn't correct for astigmatism, they just adjusted the prescription "up" if you will to sort of compensate for it. Once toric lenses came out, I signed up, but they never felt right. I bounced around and bounced around to different lenses and after my pregnancy with my DD, my astigmatism became so severe that contacts couldn't even properly fit me anymore. I finally found a pair that I could live with for special events, but usually wore my glasses that corrected me to about 20/35 but that's it. I finally decided to get LASIK and it was GREAT!!! Astigmatism can change as you body changes and can get worse. Please get your DD the glasses, even if she only uses them at home for reading, it will greatly improve her sight and possibly help her eyesight in the future. Also, don't let her wear them all the time, as it can cause her eyes to "get used" to them and can cause her eyesight to deteriote further. Just for reading only!!!

 

[llij]

Last March, my DD who is 6 was found to have an astigmatism. We got the glasses. She gets checked by the eye doctor every six months b/c her vision is constantly changing. The glasses have made a huge difference and I'm glad we got them before she started kindergarten.

Good luck to you!

 

[Jenn Lynn]

I was diagnosed with one in 2nd grade also. My eyes got worse every year until last year. They were the same. They also got really bad the year I was PG with DD. He said pregnancy can increase the rate that your eye gets worse.

I also wear contacts. They are a new kind that just came out. I have had contacts since 5th grade. They started me in Gas Perm. because that was supposed to slow down the rate my eyes got worse. Didn't work and they now know better.

 

[Chris2597]

Jenn Lynn
Is your eye problem an astigmatism? If so, what type of lenses are your using? I tried contacts several years ago with little success....My dd eye doc has told me I should give contacts a try again....

 

[DwarfMaster]

Also, don't let her wear them all the time, as it can cause her eyes to "get used" to them and can cause her eyesight to deteriote further. Just for reading only!!!

Wow ~ I hadn't heard this. My DS8 has had glasses since he was 5 for astigmatism. He wears his glasses all the time and his actual vision has improved to 20/20 over the past few years.