Accommodative esotropia/amblyopia

[curiousmum32]

Hello mums,
Today I am writing this post with a very heavy heart. We are currently on a vacation in our homeland and our world has change dramatically. We noticed our 4.5year old daughter having a squint day before we were flying and thought it’s one off but when we reached here we started noticing it frequently n others too mentioned. We did not waste time and booked an appointment with an ophthalmologist, I had my fingers crossed throughout the tests but at the end of the appointment he said that our daughter has accommodative esotropia and will need to wear glasses all her life. We were sitting there shocked though we did expect something like this having read online about it. We booked another appointment with a leading ophthalmologist n he said the same n also mentioned that the vision in the left eye hasn’t been formed well , he also mentioned that there is no reason for this n that watching tv I pad hadn’t done this. I m a stay at a home mum left my job to be with my baby n now this has really shattered me. Iv been giving her nutritional diet too. She has constipation too can this be a reason for poor vision?
Our daughter has been so good n been wearing specs +2 in both eyes n patching 3-4 hours a day. She’s so positive but our heart breaks to see her in glasses. Also we are concerned that if the squint will go away.
Fellow mums pls share your story if you or a friend has experienced the same.
Thanks a ton

[dementedpixie]

I think you might be being a bit dramatic with the heavy heart and feeling shattered by the news. It is not uncommon for children to have vision problems and its good that its been picked up fairly early. My dd has worn glasses from 18 months old due to a squint and poorer sight in her left eye. She had patching treatment too. She will always need glasses.

Sounds like your dd has a fairly low prescription and it may improve a little over time. The squint may be reduced or corrected by glasses but if it is still visible while wearing them then squint surgery may be offered. Dd had an op age 4 to correct her squint.

[curiousmum32]

Thank you , yes I may be overreacting but I am really upset. May be I will get used to seeing her in glasses. Did your dd’s squint get corrected by the operation?

[needadvice321]

My son doesn't have a squint but does have a +6 prescription and has worn glasses since age 3. Try not to panic! You get used to seeing them in glasses and most importantly they can see better! You'll probably find she's happier and has more energy if she isn't straining to see. Also, contact lenses might be an option for teenage/adult years if she prefers.

[Missmiller]

My daughter has a squint and has worn glasses since 3. They e improved her alertness levels, she used to be so tired before her glasses. She also has patching each day for an hour. It’s no big deal.

[dementedpixie]

The squint op would only be offered of the squint still shows while wearing glasses. The glasses may correct your child's squint. You will get used to them wearing glasses, dd doesn't look right without hers. We got a shock when we found she needed then as none of our family wear them but you soon get over it

[cestlavielife]

Honestly you need to put this in perspective. Millions of people wear glasses. Go out and look around you... Maybe there wilk be op availabke when okder like laser eye treatment. Don't be so dramatic. It is not a big issue and you can get cool glasses frames for kids. Try spec savers.
It s a common issue and a small prexcriptuon..my daughter has +4 and glasses since 18 months.. .
Unless you never took her out to run arpund the park then don't fret over screens.

There are much bigger eye issues to have and a squint patches and glasses is very common.

See the gp about the constipation and give probiotics daily e.g. live yogurt .

[haba]

I hate to say it, but it sounds as though you've avoided taking her to the opticians until you're "back home". A child doesn't develop a squint in one day.

+2 is hardly a strong prescription, so don't worry too much about the screen usage causing it. (DS is +9 each eye for context!)

Constipation is unlikely to have had any part in this; many small children struggle with constipation - try upping her water intake, and wet fruit such as pears, or cucumber.

I get you on the 'having to wear specs their whole life's thing, though. Rules out several careers for my DS, and makes me sad for him. But +2 shouldn't have anywhere near the same restrictions hopefully.

[haba]

And, yes, specs are amazing for children these days- just sommany gorgeous designs. DS' friends were actually envious when he began school, as he had Lego specs and all the boys wanted them (not sure they're so desirable now a quarter of the class have specs...)

[Corneliussnitch]

I’m an orthoptist. Accommodative squints can be fully accommodative which means that the eyes are straight with the glasses on or partially accommodative meaning that the squint is improved when wearing the glasses but the eyes are still not straight. Whether surgery is needed depends on how large any remaining squint is with the glasses. If patching is needed we would usually try and improve the vision before surgery. Sometimes the size of a child’s squint can vary considerably from one visit to the next but if you are getting different advice from different orthoptist ask why that is. It’s normal for parents to be upset at diagnosis but op as others have said it’s not caused by anything you have done if you overreact you may upset your daughter by your response much better if you can remain calm and be positive about her treatment

[underneaththeash]

Hi OP - your daughter must have been squinting for some time in order for the poor vision in one eye to have developed. Basically the brain "switches off" the squinting eye, so that your child doesn't have double vision and as eyes need to have visual experience in order to develop properly that eye has become lazy (or amblyopic).

Its why is really important to have your child's eyes tested before they start school as sometimes its not obvious that they have got poor vision or are squinting.

As others have said +2 is a very low prescription, very, very low in fact for an accommodative esotropia and I wouldn't be surprised if it needs to be a little bit stronger next time.

[Corneliussnitch]

Haba children can develop squints very suddenly so your info is not correct however most have a more gradual onset

[haba]

Overnight, Cornelius? Wow, I'm surprised at that (but neither of mine have a squint at all, we've been lucky there, as both are severely long-sighted).

Such a coincidence for OP though, that it would occur the day before flying home!

[Corneliussnitch]

When squints come on suddenly it often happens when children have an acute viral illness such as chickenpox these children would have gone on to develop a squint but concurrent illness can just tip the balance

[underneaththeash]

Cornelius is sort of right, an infection can cause a latent squint (a phobia) to become a manifest squint (a tropia) but it cannot cause an eye to be amblyopic, or have poor sight. That has to have happened over a significant period of time.

[Missmiller]

I’m interested by this cornelius as my dd developed a squint which was first noticed a few months after severe chicken pox (particularly on her face) would you be able to pm me any more info on this please?

[SoftSheen]

My daughter has a similar condition which we first noticed when she was a baby. She has had glasses since she was 2 1/2, and has always been happy to wear them.

Provided that you are positive about the glasses, and find frames that your daughter likes (let her choose them herself), there is no reason why this should be a big problem for her.

[Corneliussnitch]

Underneaththeash my information is absolutely correct, parents are not going to see a latent squint (phoria) so will only see the squint when it becomes manifest and it can be an infection that tips control of a latent squint into a manifest squint. I was replying to a poster who said that squints cannot come on suddenly. Children also do not need to have a manifest squint to be amblyopic if other factors such as anisometropia are involved. MissMiller I’m happy to answer any questions you have via pm

[underneaththeash]

Cornelius - there is no anisometopia - the OP has said that her child is wearing +2D both eyes.
I agreed with you in my post that an esophoria can break down to a esotropia after/during an infection, but the OP's child must have had a significant period of a manifest squint occurring to have developed amblyopia in that eye.

[Corneliussnitch]

Underneath my post about the onset of squints was in reply to Haba as stated. Although many children with accommodative squints do have significantly more hypermetropia than +2 this is not always the case and I see lots of children in low plus corrections with accommodative squints however we don’t know if op’s daughter has been given her full correction or not and I have not suggested her daughter has anisometropia. Please don’t suggest that I am “sort of right”

[underneaththeash]

corneluis - well you are only half right, for the reasons I've said above. You are also derailing the OP's thread.

[dementedpixie]

You're both derailing it tbh

[IceBearRocks]

My DS has cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, autism and a rare gene mutation. He cannot talk or communicate needs. He can walk a few meters unaided and mainly uses a walking frame or wheelchair.

He is slightly shirt sighted but will not wear glasses due to sensory needs.....

He has a squint in both eyes but is refused surgery as he has brain damage and it may come back!!!

I think .....you need to get a grip!

[Corneliussnitch]

"Hi OP - your daughter must have been squinting for some time in order for the poor vision in one eye to have developed. Basically the brain "switches off" the squinting eye, so that your child doesn't have double vision and as eyes need to have visual experience in order to develop properly that eye has become lazy (or amblyopic). "

The above comment given by a previous poster is one possible explanation for the amblyopia but certainly not the only possible reason in the op's daughter case. My previous posts on this topic have been intended to offer information and advice to both the op and subsequent posters. I have at no point given any incorrect information on this post . For IceBearRocks your son's squint is much more complex and difficult to resolve and I can understand your frustration when other parents "sweat the small stuff"

[curiousmum32]

Thank you for your inputs, my dd has another test ands been prescribed glasses of +6.5 in both eyes which we were expecting after reading about this problem in detail.
After having spoken to a lot of people I am quite positive now that the squint wil hopefully be corrected and she’s looks cute in the glasses anyway. I agree with most of you who said that i was being dramatic and that it’s not a very big deal. I feel much better now