Pediatric Lazy Eye ....

[DMickey28]

My almost 5.5 year old was given a RX for glasses today and told that he has an astigmatism in his left eye resulting in it being lazy. He is also farsighted in both eyes.

I am looking for any information anyone might have out there. I don't know if I should take him to a specialist or anything. We just did the exam at the Vision Center at Walmart.

We took him to an opthamologist when he was 2 because his eyes were reacting funny to the tv or computer screen. We were told then that he had an astigmatism but should grow out of it. Shortly after a lot of stuff happened and given the dr. told us not to worry about it we didn't. It wasn't until his 5 year ped appointment that the dr. told us he should get an eye exam based on their basic test. He also has trouble with colors.

Thanks for any experience or information!

 

[JessicaR]

Was he diagnosed with Amblyopia? In any case I would get a consult with a pediatric ophthalmologist.

 

[mjkacmom]

Was he diagnosed with Amblyopia? In any case I would get a consult with a pediatric ophthalmologist.

Dd11 had this, diagnosed by a pediatric opthamoligist when she was 2. We patched for a year, and then she had surgery. It has been fine ever since.

 

[anniemae]

I would definitely go see a pediatric opthamologist.

 

[Friend of a Mouse]

There are two things that are referred to as "lazy eye". Amblyopia which it sounds like you are describing is when one eye does not see as well as the other. Eventually, the brain will essentially shut out the signal from that eye. If untreated, this could lead toa lifelong visual impairment, but that is in the most severe cases. (As a teacher of the visually impaired, I have couple of students who are in this boat).

The other form is what the general public calls lazy eye which is strabismus or a wandering eye. That is a problem in either too long or too short muscles in the eye and can be fixed surgically, but most surgeons will not operate unless the acuity problem can be corrected.

I would take your son to a pediatric opthalmology clinic. If it truly is amblyopia they can prescribe patching or atropine drops. If it is indeed amblyopia, it will need to be corrected right away. I would also mention the colors so they can make sure to test for color blindness. I would go to a pediatric clinic since they are typically better testing young children.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

another vote here to see a pediatric opthamologist. DS was diagnosed in kindergarten and had to patch and do the eye drops. thank heavens it was found early enough.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Go see a specialist. My dh had lazy eye as a child and they never treated it.

He has coke bottle glasses now.

 

[design_mom]

My son has both strabismus and amblyopia. He wears glasses for the strabismus and did patching and surgery for the amblyopia. (The two things often go hand-in-hand -- because if your eyes aren't aligned properly, they send two images to the brain instead of one coordinated image. The brain gets confused by the two messages, so it ignores one...and when it consistently starts ignoring the message from a particular eye, you develop amblyopia.)

I agree with other posters. I would take him to a pediatric ophthalmologist for an evaluation. Our ophthalmologist said there's a "window" during which you can treat amblyopia and the window closes around age 8... so I would go ahead and make the appointment now.

My son is almost 12 now. He started wearing glasses at 14 months. By 4 he was in coke-bottle glasses with bifocals. We patched and had surgery from 5-8. He still wears glasses, but they're "normal glasses" now.

 

[minkydog]

Another vote for the pediatric opthamologist. Christian had some pretty significant vision impairment when he was an infant. He couldn't control his eyes at all and didn't use them to gain information. We took him to a ped-opth when he was about 8months old and she discovered that he had several things going on, including cross eyes and amblyopia. In fact, he was missing the entire left side of his field of vision!

We patched Christian's eyes for about a year and a half, I guess. He hated it, but you know, as the adults we had to step in and make him wear the patch. We also continued the vision therapy that we had started when he was about 6 months old. Eventually Christian learned to turn his head and look when people spoke. He learned he could locate his favorite toys by using his eyes.

Today, at 17, Christian still struggles with his vision(he has massive brain damage). We have to remind him--"Use your eyes! Look where you're feet are going!" He remains far-sighted, but he can negotiate stairs and navigate around the house very well. He can see well enough to make his own choices with food (yes to ice cream, no to green peas.) I can't help but believe that patching him in those early days determined how he would use his eyes in the future.

Good luck. I know this is scary stuff but pediatric opthamologists see this all the time. They'll know what to do.

 

[fitgirl36]

Another vote for a pediatric opthamologist. I noticed DD's right eye turning in around 4 or 5 months. We took her to the specialist and we patched her eye for 6 months and she started wearing glasses at 7 months. Three different prescriptions so far, she just got her new pair and is out of the bifocals. So she's been wearing them for 1-1/2 years. It has helped tremendously and the doctor is optimistic that surgery won't be needed.

 

[spacemountainmom]

I would also suggest that you take your DS to see an opthamologist. I also am far-sighted and my left eye crosses. I was diagnosed with strabismus at the age of 18 months. My parents were so impressed with my opthamologist that they continued to drive over an hour to have him treat me after we moved away. We all were devastated when he retired. I was in high school then.

I had issues that prevented me from being a good candidate for surgery so I have always gotten by with glasses and contacts. My vision actually improved as I became an adult. It leveled out and now at 44 is going downhill fast.

I used to have horribly thick glasses, but with the improvements that are constantly happening, mine aren't too bad anymore.

 

[Cantw8]

Dd11 had this, diagnosed by a pediatric opthamoligist when she was 2. We patched for a year, and then she had surgery. It has been fine ever since.

same thing for my son. He was diagnosed with "lazy eye" around the age of 2.I patched for almost a year (it was horrible and he fought it the whole way) Then I bought a real "pirate" type eye patch and he loved it. It did not work very well for him and I ended up putting Atropine drops into his good eye. That blurred his vision with the thinking that it would force him to use the bad eye. That didnt work either and he finally had surgery around age 6. The surgery straightened the eye but he still remains legally blind in the one eye (20/200 vision) Today, at age 23 he wears contacts and seems to have no problems. He drives but has no depth perception. To the OP...YES, seek out a pediatric optomologist

 

[Mom_Rides]

Our DD was diagnosed with strabismus at 18 months old and has been in glasses ever since. Thankfully, she hasn't had to pat h or use drops. Her glasses have a very high prescription but we buy her the featherweight lenses. We see a pediatric ophthalmologist every three months.

 

[AddictedtoDoleWhip]

I was diagnosed with Strabismus when I was 3 or 4 months old? I don't really remember, but I just remember I've always had to wear glasses (since 13 months) when I was an infant they strongly disapproved of having surgery on a baby unless it was a life threatening situation. So I wore glasses with bifoculs for a very long time (up until a few years ago!)

I did the eye exercises and all that, but it didn't do anything or help AT ALL. My eyes remained the same, no improvement in my eyes.. they were always crossed one way or another.. when I was an adult.. I finally had surgery to move my eye muscles because while my left eye was the main one turned in, it turned out to be my STRONGEST eye and my straight eye was my weaker one but.. it turns out my right eye's muscles were all messed up too so they had to fix those muscles as well. Apparently on top of that the bifoculs were a waste of time because I never needed them in the first place? What an odd realization.. lol...

Now my eyes are straightish, they will never be perfect because of how long it has taken for me to get surgery on them. But they are pretty straight! And I am probably going to need another surgery in a few years because I was told due to hte fact that I was older when I got my surgery, the more likely it would be that I would need another surgery. I'm hoping not though.

I would talk to a pediatric opthamologist! Maybe find one that specializes in lazy-eye and those types of issues.

 

[Fly4free]

Our DD was diagnosed with strabismus at 18 months old and has been in glasses ever since. Thankfully, she hasn't had to pat h or use drops. Her glasses have a very high prescription but we buy her the featherweight lenses. We see a pediatric ophthalmologist every three months.

My DD was also diagnosed with strabismus at 18 mos. too. She was always very good about wearing her glasses. We were told that the muscle problem most likely will correct itself around the time of puberty. She is 12 now and still needs glasses, but a lower prescription. Only need an anual checkup now.

Definately see a pediatric ophthamologist. Ask your pediatrician for a recommendation. The sooner the better!

 

[DMickey28]

Thanks. I am going to make him an appointment. We don't have a pediatric ophthalmologist in the area but one that comes up from Boston once a week. I'll try her or go down to Boston. His eye physically does not wander, it's the first kind you were talking about.

Does anyone know if regular health insurance typically covers this? We have great health insurance but mediocre vision coverage for lenses, frames and annual exam.

 

[design_mom]

Good luck getting an appointment. I think you will be glad, even if it just for peace of mind.

My son's pediatric ophthalmology appointments are covered by our medical insurance (specialist), not our vision insurance. Our vision insurance covers the actual glasses, lenses, etc.

 

[lilaurora]

My DD7 was diagnosed with amblyopia when she was 4. She was referred to a pediatric ophthamologist by her pediatrician after her annual check up. Her visits (and there were many!) were covered by our medical insurance just like any other doctor visit. About a year ago her eyesight got to 20/20 with her glasses (only one rx lens for the weak eye). Good luck!

 

[GraysMom]

We have a very similar story to lilaurora. DS7 was diagnosed when his ped gave him an eye exam as part of his regular 4-year-old check up. DS knew his entire alphabet and was reading some sight words already (I was using flashcards to work with a girl I was babysitting and he picked the words up quickly) so imagine my shock when the Dr said he was almost legally blind in his right eye . I felt such guilt for quite awhile wondering how I couldn't have noticed there was a problem. His pediatric opthamologist assured me that it was almost impossible to diagnose this problem without covering one eye at a time and having him read an eye chart, and often it wasn't diagnosed until kids entered kindergarten.

He got glasses and started patching right away (2hrs+ every day). 3 1/2 years later we still patch 2+ hrs a day, every day, and he still has glasses, although his vision is only one line from 20/20 with glasses in his weak eye (his other eye was 30/20 and corrected to 20/20 on it's own). His doctor is hoping he might eventually be able to get rid of the glasses, but we will see.

For anyone who needs to patch, I highly recommend Ortopad patches. They come in various cool designs and the adhesive is much easier to get off than the ones we bought from the drugstore.

 

[PaulaSB12]

My almost 5.5 year old was given a RX for glasses today and told that he has an astigmatism in his left eye resulting in it being lazy. He is also farsighted in both eyes.

I am looking for any information anyone might have out there. I don't know if I should take him to a specialist or anything. We just did the exam at the Vision Center at Walmart.

We took him to an opthamologist when he was 2 because his eyes were reacting funny to the tv or computer screen. We were told then that he had an astigmatism but should grow out of it. Shortly after a lot of stuff happened and given the dr. told us not to worry about it we didn't. It wasn't until his 5 year ped appointment that the dr. told us he should get an eye exam based on their basic test. He also has trouble with colors.

Thanks for any experience or information!

Take him to an eye specialist its very important. Also talk to him and make sure he doesn't favour one eye tell him to swap which eye he uses. Hard at five but will get easy with age. I have lazy eye but am short sighted in one and long in the other.