DD has developed a squint aged 11, anyone know about squints?

[Voulezvous]

She's worn glasses for short sightedness since she was 9. Optician says she needs to do eye exercises.

I'm just wondering if it's normal to develop a squint at this age, and what has caused it? Unfortunately DH took DD for her eye test and didn't ask the questions I would've done!

She has been complaining about not being able to see properly for a while, but only in the distance. She regularly get headaches and is struggling massively with school at the moment. I'm just wondering if this could be adding to her problems?

She had an eye test in December which showed no change to her prescription, she had a small change to her prescription in one eye today.

Straight to GP for a neurological check up.
I am surprised the optician didn't suggest this.

Why do you say that endoftheline?

The opticians should do a referral letter for the GP to get it looked at under hospital care. DD finally got diagnosed with her squint at 9 and at the first hospital appt got a thorough check from the optometrist and the consultant before getting discharge to just the squint team (because it’s just a simple squint)

This won't be it I'm sure, but a squint was my first symptom (well other than headaches which are a bit vague) of a brain tumour so just go to be checked so you can forget that. I was 10 and no eyesight problems before.

I was also back at school having had brain surgery 10 days after they found the squint and the rumour is/was in no way connected to the cancer in my username. They took it all out easily and being 10 I bounced right back.

Having ruled that out, I would keep on at the optician. But do the neurologist bit first.

I developed a squint and it turned out to be a symptom of another condition. Yes, I am an adult, but I think the sudden onset of squint in an 11 year old should be checked properly.

Tumour not rumour!

I also wore an eyepatch until it got better which obviously I hated but did help with reading

I assumed her headaches were related to stress. There is a massive backstory to why I thought this! I will go back to the opticians this afternoon I think.

Oh headaches can be anything- poor thing if she is super stressed

The opticians can do some clever thing where they look into your eyes and see a certain amount of what's going on so hopefully can reassure you.

She definitely didn't have a squint when she was younger because she was seen by hospital optometrist aged 1 - 4. And has had regular eye tests since.

I am a GP ...agree that she needs a GP appointment monday.

DD developed sudden onset squint at a similar age (having had one as a toddler but grown out of it) and the optometrist/GP took it very seriously. She had a CT scan to rule out anything rare but scary and eventually had surgery. The problem is that if it drags on too long she might never regain binocular vision.

I just rang the opticians and the optician who saw DD is busy for the rest of today, but has been asked to give me a call next week.

I have a squint. Mine was detected when I was 2 and operated on when I was 3. Operation improved it hugely but I still had lots of appointments and eye patches to wear growing up.
I still have effects of it now if I'm tired particularly.
Surgeon told my parents at the time of operation that due to the growth I may need another operation at 11 or when my eyes had done most of their growing. I would say it's unusual to get the first symptoms as late as 9 but it maybe to do with growth that it has developed? Definitely needs to be checked out

I have an unstable squint - I can control it, but it is a big strain. It wasn't really apparent until late (11ish I think), and I had surgery at 13 and 18 but have had prisms in my lenses ever since. I did have investigations to check for any other reason, but there isn't

New squint and headaches need to be assessed by GP.
Phone them on Monday.
Better to be safe OP.

I really wouldn't bother speaking to the optician but get a GP appointment instead.

Why was she seeing the hospital about her eyes when she was younger OP, could it be connected? (obviously you don't have to say on here if it was!).

You need to get a referral to an Ophthalmologist.

GP first thing Monday.

I have experience of this, and would recommend you take your daughter to the Eye A&E at your local hospital. It will shortcut the referral process via the GP and get her straight in to the Department she needs to be seen by. I'm not saying this to alarm you, there are a number of reasons why someone could develop a squint, most of them harmless but Eye A&E clinic is the quickest way to get assessed. Best of luck x

Sorry I wasn't clear. Our hospital holds an Eye A&E clinic once a week,I would recommend seeing if your hospital does something similar. I'm not suggesting you rush off to A&E, just that they hold a weekly clinic where you can drop in and be seen straight away.

DS had similar, his squint appeared literally overnight in year 6. He had one op to correct it but that failed, so was referred away to the swanky big eye hospital.

The first thing his consultant did was order a MRI (?) scan of his head (and she seemed really concerned that this hadn't already been done due to his age)

All came back clear, he had a second op (where the consultant "fixed" the good eye 🤯) and has now got perfectly straight eyes- he can even catch a ball now