Lazy Eye?

[MrsOCD]

My dd, aged 10 months has one eye that occasionally, goes inwards. Just the one. Is this a lazy eye? If so, what do I do - GP, HV or optitian. How is it usually dealt with? Glasses with patch over??

[puss1]

hi my daughter had this it only happend every so often but did look a bit strange at first. I checked with hvistor she said that the muscles are not stronge enough yet but with time it will improve.She 5 now and nothing i think it stopped around year or so.ANd her school eye test was fine last year.
Hope this helps x

[Seona1973]

dd's left eye started to turn in at around 18 months. I went to the hv and she referred her to the orthoptist at the local hospital. It ended up that she was long sighted and had a squint. Her left eye was also lazy (i.e. it had poorer eyesight than the right eye). She has had glasses since then and also had patching treatment to improve the sight in her left eye. Try your hv first and see how you get on. If it is an eye problem then the earlier it gets treated the better.

[littletree]

Hi-
Very similar to Seona1973.

DS (now 6) had an eye that dramatically turned in just after his 3rd birthday. I took him to gp who diagnosed a squint + lazy eye. He was referred to our local hospital's eye clinic. He first saw the optician and then the orthoptist (the orthoptist is the health professional responsible for eye movement). He was formally diagnosed and set on a course of treatment which we are still involved in.

My son was given glasses to correct the imbalance between his eyes (the muscles of his right eye are weaker) and we did eye patching for 2 years to strengthen his bad eye. This involved wearing an eye patch over his good eye to strengthen his eye muscles. With all of this treatment, we corrected his eye sight with glasses and potentially saved his eye from permanent sight loss.

Finally, last May he was referred to the eye surgeon and underwent eye surgery to correct the cosmetic side. This involved tightening his bad eye muscle. The surgery was a success and he now looks 'normal' when he is wearing his glasses. When he grows up, he will be able to wear contact lenses and the eye turn should be virtually unnoticable.

Hope this helps, but, do get it treated. If left untreated it can cause long term blindness.

[FabIsGoingToBeFabIn2010]

GP for a referral or phone your local opticians and ask if they will see her. Don't leave it.

[BetsyBoop]

in our area you just need to speak to your HV & they do the referral - I even did this over the phone (was phoning to ask what to do!)

[MrsOCD]

Thank you all. Am both relieved and worried! Will call HV tomorrow.

[blondieminx]

Just to say that if your child's eye does end up needing surgery then if you are anywhere near London do ask to be referred to Moorfields Eye Hospital for this to be done - botched surgery done on my right eye squint locally when I was 4 has meant I've been under Moorfields for the past 26 years (2 further lots of surgery and now toxin treatment every 6-12 months to keep me looking "straight"....

[littletree]

Although, I know a couple of people that had bad results from Moorfield as well! Our surgeon out in the sticks has one of the best records for success in the country. Just do your research before you commit. Also, excellent eye clinic in Bury St. Edmunds.