Eye surgery for strabismus

[ecki]

Kayla might have to have eye surgery for strabismus. She's had a head tilt for years. We saw a pediatric ophthalmologist last year and he said the head tilt had nothing to do with her vision, but the new ped ophth we saw this year said her vision WAS causing her head tilt.

The doctor doesn't think that patching or vision therapy will work because of her sensory issues (wouldn't be able to keep a patch or glasses on) so he thinks surgery will be needed to correct this. He encouraged us to get a second opinion because he doesn't want to rush into surgery.

Right now she is seeing double much of the time, she doesn't have binocular vision. I'm assuming this is why she has such poor fine motor skills and climbing skills (poor depth perception).

Anyone been through this surgery? I know it's a "minor" outpatient procedure, but eyeball stuff freaks me out!

 

[KPeveler]

my little sister had both eyes done when she was 3 or 4. She is 21 now and doing great!

She has it done at Massachusetts Eye and Ear by the guy who created the technique... i dont think he is still there, but you can try them for a second opinion - they really know what they are doing there! they are even helping my sister now with her facial paralysis!

 

[PatsMom]

I had surgery to correct "crossed" eyes as a child - that would be over 42 years ago now! I have had no problems from the surgery. I never did develop "binocular" vision though. I still use one eye to look near and the other eye to look far. Which means I have some depth perception issues. But overall I am very glad that my mother elected to have the surgery done.

 

[DannysMom]

Anyone been through this surgery? I know it's a "minor" outpatient procedure, but eyeball stuff freaks me out!

Absolutely seek out a second opinion as to whether or not your daughter will benefit from this surgery. I will second that it is a relatively minor outpatient procedure. (Although *NO* procedure feels minor when it's your precious child!)

My son had surgical strabismus repair on both eyes when he was about 2 1/2. The procedure was fine, the aftercare was a bit tedious. We had to physically restrain him to get the post surgical drops into his eyes, after a few days of that he did better. I guess he realized taht the drops made his eyes feel better & stopped fighting so much.

The biggest thing is the actual anethesia. If you have never had a young child recover from anethesia before it can be pretty traumatic, for the parents. Kids don't really remember it. I imagine it to waking up w/ a mother of a hangover w/ no idea of how or why or when it will get better. Good luck.

 

[taximomfor4]

Certainly look into the second opinion. My second dd has sensory integration isssues (and many others, too). She has stabismus (and other vision problems, including head tilt). She got glasses at age 2 1/2, and SHOCKINGLY kept them on perfectly, from the very first day. She'd not been able to step up a curb before that, but on the way home from picking up her glasses, she stepped up and down one curb about 20 times!

Then, my youngest dd developed strabismus suddenly at age 2 1/2. She got glasses, and we had to start patching. We had to patch, then immediately go into a painting or coloring or reading activity. Problem was, then her OTHER eye began turning in, instead. So no more patching (still glasses, though). She, too, has worn them, perfectly, all day, from day one.

Then, 2 yrs ago, the ped opthalm. told us my second dd needs surgery now, since her strabismus isn't getting any better. I called around, and one doc called me back himself, asked TONS of questions, talked to me for almost an hour. Needless to say, I switched my kids to him. He can see why surgery was recommended, but says no need to do it right now. He sees my dd a few times a year, and now she is 10 and has still not gotten to that point of surgery yet. Thank goodness!

Too early in the morning -- getting too wordy. Just wanted to say, don't discount glasses/patching (patching is easy with glasses, the patch is a sleeve that slides onto the GLASSES!). If your dd sees better with the glasses, she might WANT to wear them!

 

[Schmeck]

My daughter had corrective eye surgery for a birth defect at age 2, hers was for a palsy of one eye muscle. The thought of surgery freaked me out too, and carrying her down to the operating room (with her stuffed animal Oliver) was so sad and hard for me! I stayed in the OR until she was under, and hubby and I paced the hallways until she was in recovery. Her first awakening from anesthesia was brutal, and then they gave her morphine , which made her sleep again. When she woke up again, she was fine. But the thought that they gave my baby girl morphine, without my consent, made me a bit angry. I had to remember that she was in pain at that time and that the morphine made her feel better.

DD is 14 now, and the surgery corrected her vision to about 80% of normal. She still doesn't have great binocular vision, and the eye still has a palsy, especially when she is over-tired. KPeveler, she also had the surgery done at ME&E, by a surgeon is is no longer practicing there. Wonder if it was the same one? It was 12 years ago, and I've forgotten his name. He was horrible with kids, but he was an outstanding surgeon, LOL!

 

[SandrainNC]

My oldest (who has Down syndrome) had one eye doing this. He has glasses for the problem. He has a few sensory issues also. The problem started right after he turned 4. It took him about 1 month to keep the glasses on. And we have been through about 8 pairs in the last 3 years, but he wears them really well now. And the glasses correct the problem.

Sandra