Children with vision problems??

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

We got a letter from my dd's kindergarten the other day saying she failed the eye exam, so I took her to our optometrist and she is 20/200 (which without correction is legally blind) in her right eye and 20/80 in left eye. The Dr. is concerned about amblyopia, which from my reading it sounds like she has, but he said we could still prevent it. She is favoring her left eye and not using her right eye. I'm concerned about her developing a wandering eye. We're starting her on glasses immediately but not at full strength because it would be to much for her. She'll be at full strength in 6 months. We'll also be patching her "good" eye (not that 20/80 is good) to help develop her bad eye. I'm taking her to visit a pediatric opthamologist to see if she can offer any other suggestions. I'm shocked by this diagnosis as my dd is reading and writing at her grade level and I NEVER would have suspected vision problems, let alone this severe. I'm interested in hearing other peoples experiences with this sort of thing. And anyone else please think about getting your young children checked. The prognosis for this is much better if found before age 5 (dd is 5 1/2), and I so wish someone had recommended to me to have a routine eye exam by an optometrist (she passed her peds eye exam) done earlier. I'm taking ds (3) in next week.

 

[GEM]

I don't have any knowledge about the condition you are describing, but I do hope that all those people on these boards who are always blasting the school vision exams and hearing checks as being unnecessary, invasive, etc. read this post. I'm glad you were able to catch your daughter's problem while it is possible to correct it!

 

[georgina]

I used to do screening at the preschool where my kids went. There was a training program by a local vision services provider, and we were taught to screen for nearsightedness, color deficiency, and amblyopia. It was a great program, even if we made some incorrect referrals for further testing, because we did find some problems in 3 and 4 year olds. I was happy the preschool did this. Your daughter is still young, it is good it was caught now and treatment started.

 

[rascalmom]

You could be describing me. I was diagnosed at 2 years old. I wore Coke-bottle thick glasses for awhile & then when I was about 4, I had corrective eye surgery. My eye did wander somewhat. Wore patches intermittently after surgery to train me to use both eyes.

I have always had good close vision, even when I was little & having so many problems. So that may be the case with your dd too. My distance vision has never been great, but it did get better as I got older. I still wear glasses, but mainly just for driving. I'm sure they have better techniques than they did when I went through this in the early 60's. Find a good pediatric ophthamologist, if you haven't already - they will be able to help. Best wishes.

 

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

Thanks for sharing RascalMom. The pediatric opthamologist came highly recommended. I'm really hoping I can get her in sooner then April though (when the closest new patient appt is), our optometrist will try and help with that. My dd is actually farsighted and can't see near objects. I'm really so surprised I never noticed it.

GEM and Georgina... I am so thankful for the school exam. As I said she passed the exam in her pediatricians office that they did as part of the well child check. Shes really learned to compensate well. In our case the school exam was performed by licensed optometrists, volunteering their time. The school sent me a letter saying she failed and that we had to get her rechecked (the optometrist would performed the school exam would have rechecked her for free at their office if we didn't have vision coverage, but thankfully we do).

 

[LaurieG]

I went through EXACTLY the same thing that you are going through now with my oldest daughter (who just got her drivers license today!) We also got a letter from her school saying that her vision was 20/400 in one eye and 20/50 (or 60) in the other. I questioned how the child could have possibly gotten through 5 years like that and it was not detected before then and they said that she was probably born with it and did know any better. We patched the good eye to force her to use the bad eye and started iwth VERY thick gasses. It was not a pleasent experience but one that worked. She still wears glass, (when I force her to!) and her vision is about 20/60 a HUGE improvement but they say that this is the best that we can hope for. As far as she is concerned she is JUST FINE as she constantly reminds me.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

My DS has the same thing but we picked it up before he turned 2. His one eye turned in because he was straining so much to see. He was patched for 2 weeks. I believe that at that time, the thought was to patch the good eye for one week per year of age. (This was 15 years ago.) DH is an optometrist and didn't want to beleive DS had a problem. It took me and my MIL to convince him the take DS to a pediatric opthamologist. DS started wearing glasses at the same time and never takes them off because he is so dependant on them. He got contacts when he started high school.

 

[minkydog]

Hooray for patching! My son Christian has a different problem than your child(cortical vision impairment), but he also had to wear a patch. At that time he was about 2yo and his eyes went in different directions. Not to mention that he was missing the whole left field of vision. Poor kid, sometimes he would just shut his eyes so he wouldn't have to see--it was actually painful for him. His vision went from really terrible to useful with only 6 months of patching. He's 10 now and can use his eyes to locate anything he wants. Pretty good for a "legally blind" kid

 

[Rock'n Robin]

DS was diagnosed at almost 2 1/2. He is farsighted and his muscles are weak (strabismus, I think) so when he was straining to see his right eye went in. He has been patched a few times; sometimes he has worn a piece of plastic on his good eye that is much less visible (he is 7 now) and still helps develop the right eye. He wears bifocals ($300!) . He needs to change lenses sometimes twice every year! I also use my vision insurance to get him "sports glasses" without the bifocal so he can play soccer, baseball, etc. without worrying about losing or breaking the expensive pair (for his good glasses I always use the optician associated with the pediatric opthamologist, who of course takes no insurance. His exams are covered by medical because of his condition).
The ophthamologist always told me he could grow out of this around junior high age, and we are still hopeful. He had surgery on muscles in both eyes at age 4. But what we were also told was that the right eye always tries to correct itself when it is turning in--so when it starts to get better, his muscles could make it go OUTWARD if it turns in too much (does that make sense the way I explained it?). So we don't want the turning inward! And you can really tell...a few weeks ago a lense fell out of his good glasses right before soccer practice, and I didn't have his backup pair--he practiced without and you could really tell the eye was going in.
Robin M.

 

[Aurora63]

Your daughter sounds like me! However my parents never did the patching...as consequence, my left eye has even worse vision now, and now my 'good' eye is not quite as good. Lucky for me I never developed any wandering eye problems.

I do RGP contacts now...they are a more updated hard lense...they are great, a little uncomfortable at times, but my vision is soooo much better.

Oh, it's quite easy to go with eyes like this for years without noticing...I was eight before anyone figured it out...basically, the good eye compensates for the bad one. I never realized how poor my vision was until someone corrected it!

 

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

I talked to our medical insurance today (the opthamologist doesn't accept vision plans) and we are covered for my dd's pediatric opthamolgy appts and for vision therapy. So that is a big relief. Of course I would have gotten her whatever treatment she needed regardless, but its nice that I won't have to stress about how to pay for it or dip into savings. They also did find her an appt in early March, which is lots better then late April.

I REALLY appreciate everyone taking the time to share their experiences. Yesterday the news was overwhelming me and I feel alot better today hearing here and talking to my friends IRL that have gone through similiar things. I thought of so many questions that I didn't think of at the optometrist appt, so it helps just to hear things people have done and calm my mind a bit.

I saw Rock N' Robin mentioned sport glasses. I should probably eventually look into those as she rotates between soccer and ice skating. ?? Also, I was wondering about this last night... Does anyone know about goggles? In the summer we swim pretty much every day and she always wears goggles. We are going to Hawaii and on a Disney Cruise this year and will be "snorkeling" (which she loves... she just wears goggles not a snorkel mask and lifts her head up to breathe) and I really want her to be able to see the fish. She did great last time she went but I'm afraid after having been in her glasses, going without them will be frustrating/annoying to her.