Can someone talk me down please!? DS double vision

[Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady]

I will preface this by saying I have health anxiety so am really struggling to be rational about this.

DS 10 came out of school today saying he had double vision when looking at the white board.

He said it went away when he blinked.

He said the same thing about 4 years ago. I took him to the optition and they checked his eyes. All fine.

Over the last few years he has mentioned it once or twice but I reminded him that the optition said his eyes were fine (I know I'm a terrible mother and should have pursued it)

I can't remember him saying anything about it for over a year.

To give some details:

He says it only happens if he is looking at one thing and then quickly changes to look at something else. Goes away when he blinks.

He says he only notices it every few months (obviously noticing it more tonight because I've been doing some tests on him - I know!)

If he's just walking around normally, or talking to me he doesn't have double vision.

It only happens if he

A) has been really concentrating on something and then looks up/at something else

B) closes his eyes and then opens them (again, it goes away with 1 blink)

C) he says it's worse if he has been really concentrating on something or if he is tired.

I am trying really really hard to be rational. It's been going on for 4 years (he says if anything it's actually got better over that period) it goes away when he blinks, he has no other symptoms e.g. headaches, vomiting, fits etc

But because of the health anxiety I have been in tears thinking worst case scenario. Brain tumour.

PLEASE can someone talk me down

Many eyesight issues - astigmatism, lazy eye, squint, shortsighted in one eye, longsighted in the other, can cause temporary double vision, especially if a child is tired. It actually takes energy - and muscle strength - to make both eyes work together, and when they do not work together double vision can be one result. Mention your concerns when you have the eye test and even if the optician is happy that there isn't a problem, if it keeps happening, or you aren't satisfied, get a referral. I know from personal experience that regular opticians don't always spot more complex vision issues in young children and you may need a specialist nurse (orthoptist) or eye doctor (opthamologist).

All in all I would bet this is a slam dunk physical eye issue.

Is this not normal? Is it not just eyes focusing? I've had this my whole life?

If he blinks and it goes away that doesn't really sound like proper double vision

@dementedpixie

Did you not take him for annual eye checks? Kids should be checked annually and adults every 2 years

Book an eye test

What is the age range for that though in regards to kids going.

Age 4/5 ish and over.
Depends on the optician as to the youngest age they will test

My dd had a squint and got her eyes tested at 18 months old but that was through a hospital orthoptist rather than a high street optician. She was under hospital care until around age 7 or 8 and then was discharged to a high street optician

My daughter was referred for sporadic loss of sight and headaches on waking and something else, I can’t remember. The consultant said that because it has been going on for a few months she would discount brain tumour.

I'm another one with convergence issues. I didn't have a squint or lazy eye, but am short sighted (about the same in both eyes). Often if I blinked, it did seem to 'reset' the double vision.

I went to an paediatric ophthalmologist for a couple of years, and was given eye exercises. Things like bringing a pencil with a coloured topper towards my eyes and seeing how close I could get it before it went double, or a piece of card with a line of dots on that I had to 'zip up' by focusing on one dot at a time. Nothing scary! I could have tried prism lenses, but the consultant I saw said that in children with my type of prescription he thought it was better to try to strengthen the muscles.

It does still happen occasionally if I'm tired, or reading tiny writing — things seem to drift off to one side, so I take that as a signal I should stop for a bit.

UPDATE

Wanted to update for those people who commented, and for any other parent who has a similar issue.

Been to the opticion. Vision still 20/20 and good eye health. Back of the eye looks great, no signs of increased brain pressure etc.

Basically one of his eyes has a very slight drift. The opticion said it's a muscle weakness.

He said he didn't think it was worrying and gave us the option of just leaving it if it wasn't getting any worse, or to refer his to the hospital for some more tests and possibly some treatment if they thought it was necessary.

We went for option 2 just because I felt it was the right thing to do.

I did ask about brain tumours in a roundabout way that wouldn't be obvious to DS.

He said that in cases like that you can often see signs of increased pressure by looking at the back of the eye and also it tens to be very sudden onset. He also said that because it's been going on for so long it a very unlikely to be that.

He found it by doing a test moving a light that the opticion in 2017 didn't do so that's obviously why they just said he was fine and sent us on our merry way!

I feel much better now. I was nearly sick several times this morning. Not helped by the fact that I made a massive fuck up at work!

That is exactly what me and DD did - hospital to properly gauge it and exercises.

Both of us were discharged around the age of 12

@quartz2208 thank you as he was talking to me I was thinking about posts like yours and thinking "yep! They were right!"

Glad you got it checked out, muscle weakness is so common and hopefully with exercises he may not even need any other treatment

Just bear in mind the 20/20/20 rule that the Chinese recommend for every 20 mins spent on screens to stretch the eyes into the distance at least 20 metres

They started this because they have the highest incidence of short sightedness linked to indoor study and screen use in the world

Oh OP, I'm so glad this was the outcome and you kept it together even if inwardly you were falling apart. Your son is lucky to have you!

If it makes you feel any better, my two DDs are going for a sight test on Monday - their first ever, and they're aged 8 and 10.

Try and breathe out all the worry - you've done the right thing and all is well. Happy Mother's Day for Sunday.

[quote Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady]@quartz2208 thank you as he was talking to me I was thinking about posts like yours and thinking "yep! They were right!"

[/quote]
You get used to it, I can keep mine under control (mine was worse than DD in that I was borderline for the surgery which back in the 90s was far more instrusive than it is now) and I barely register it now unless I am really tired.

DD has also had a CT scan that was clear (due to throwing up with concussion) so it is definitely her squint

@LeopardPrintKnickers thank you that's so kind.

I hope their eye tests go well.