Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my baby has a potential eye muscle problem?

78 replies

babyeye · 02/09/2022 18:48

I've name changed because if I upload a photo of my daughter here then I can't so unidentifiable on other posts

I took a lovely photo of my daughter today

I was looking at her gorgeous eyes and noticed they have both fixed in a different spot 😔😔 she is 5 months old

I have to wear glasses as I've got about a -2.75 and -1.5 l and r respectively
I also get double or treble vision when tired when I read it's apparently ok and not to worry about and it's just pulling the eye muscles

Wondering if I can do something to play with her to bring eyes to move together or is this a non issue as my husband says? Thank you and sorry for the photo of my baby she is indeed cute but her eyes are in different spots if you have a look.

To think my baby has a potential eye muscle problem?
OP posts:
MaryJoLisa · 02/09/2022 18:52

She's very gorgeous. The angle of her head means she's not looking straight forward, so her left eye would appear more turned in. Is it turned in when she looks straight ahead?

Sh05 · 02/09/2022 18:52

I see what you mean and I wouldn't worry too much.
Dd1 had a similar problem which only became obvious at around 19 months, the HV referred us to an eye clinic where the opthalmologist reassured us DD had quite good control. We were advised that glasses would correct it but she didn't need glasses until she was 11.
She's 16 now, wears glasses and her squint is only visible when she's taken her glasses off and is really tired

Original poster
babyeye · 02/09/2022 18:55

She's asleep atm but when she wakes up I'm going to get her to look at me forwards
I might play with her a bit more making her look side to side to improve the tone

I've got a new phone I'll see if there are any here of her eyes

These are reassuring replies, I don't have the poor thing to wear an eye patch, my friends son did and he was exhausted by it 😔😔 xx

OP posts:
Vetiver · 02/09/2022 18:57

She’s absolutely gorgeous, I don’t think it’s uncommon for babies eyes to do this, but it’s good you’re aware, ophthalmologists can help fix it with patching so I would just keep an eye on it and book her in if it remains a problem.

Original poster
babyeye · 02/09/2022 18:59

Here are some others from yesterday

Yes I dress her up like a dolly I admit!! She is my girl and I have two boys too, who are like mowgli, so it's lovely to dress her up atm

All clothes second hand honestly in case anyone bites me about that

The turban is new from Sainsburys

To think my baby has a potential eye muscle problem?
To think my baby has a potential eye muscle problem?
OP posts:
Original poster
babyeye · 02/09/2022 19:01

I think it is pulling in

Wonder if I get her to play with me on her tummy and I get her to look at me more with one eye (I think her left eye may have the tone problem?)

Urgh I'm annoyed at myself for spotting this but also relieved too in case we can put a patch on the "lazy eye" Angry honestly who called it that!! A little earlier instead of say age 4 at school in case she is teased

Thanks for the support all

OP posts:
Heatherbell1978 · 02/09/2022 19:02

Look up Brown syndrome. My son was diagnosed age 3 at his pre-school checks. I thought he had a slight squint but it never concerned me. His sight is perfect and apparently he'll grow out of it. So hopefully nothing to worry about!

PreVerbalGerbil · 02/09/2022 19:02

Whilst her eyes appear to be in different directions, it’s because of the angle of her head. When you look at the corneal reflections (where the light spot is in either eye) they are symmetrical. If she had a true squint one would be displaced temporally.
It’s not uncommon for babies to have periods of ocular misalignment in the first 6 months of life. If it persists or you want reassurance, a health visitor or GP referral to an Orthoptist is a sensible course of action 😊 Can guarantee they would be happy to see such a cutie! X

itsgettingweird · 02/09/2022 19:03

Awwwww she's beautiful.

I love how you dress her. It's so classic.

I see what you mean re her left eye.

I have absolutely no knowledge of eye stuff and I always say if your concerned as a parent then ask specialists for advice. Being your 3rd too this is obviously something you didn't notice with your first two.

I noticed ds seemed to have an odd grip and muscle movements when he was a baby. No one took me seriously.

At 15yo he was diagnosed with a rare degenerative neuromuscular disorder. These were subtle early signs.

Being listened too in his case wouldn't have changed anything as it didn't manifest more obviously until he was 8ish but I felt sad I'd been dismissed as neurotic when he was a baby and suffered those feelings alone and unheard.

KindergartenKop · 02/09/2022 19:05

I had this and a tiny operation aged 6 fixed it.

Except when I'm horrendously drunk, when it comes back 😂

Coldhandscoldheart · 02/09/2022 19:07

My first had her eyes checked at about 7 months when I was in getting my eye check. She had a bit of a turn in, optician said not to worry, she grew out of it, she has perfect vision & no squint.
younger developed a noticeable squint between 1yr & 18months - terrible eyes, has had glasses but no patching since. Keep an eye on it, try not to worry, see if an optician will see her if you are worried. She’s absolutely beautiful :)

Kathryn91 · 02/09/2022 19:08

@babyeye
My son now 3 had what we called a ‘lazy eye’ in his left eye, the health visitor noticed it at his 2 year checks (we had noticed it before, but it was lockdown)
We got sent to the hospital where it turned out his right eye was the one with the restricted vision, pulling the left eye in.
He now wears glasses but they said as it was picked up so young he will more than likely grow out of them!
Maybe just mention it to the health visitor but I know we didn’t get tested for a while as she said some children do grow out of it

AnyFucker · 02/09/2022 19:08

Good God, that baby is gorgeous

I have no knowledge about her eyes

Original poster
babyeye · 02/09/2022 19:32

Heatherbell1978 · 02/09/2022 19:02

Look up Brown syndrome. My son was diagnosed age 3 at his pre-school checks. I thought he had a slight squint but it never concerned me. His sight is perfect and apparently he'll grow out of it. So hopefully nothing to worry about!

Thank you Heather, I will have a look at this, this evening I really appreciate it

OP posts:
Original poster
babyeye · 02/09/2022 19:33

PreVerbalGerbil · 02/09/2022 19:02

Whilst her eyes appear to be in different directions, it’s because of the angle of her head. When you look at the corneal reflections (where the light spot is in either eye) they are symmetrical. If she had a true squint one would be displaced temporally.
It’s not uncommon for babies to have periods of ocular misalignment in the first 6 months of life. If it persists or you want reassurance, a health visitor or GP referral to an Orthoptist is a sensible course of action 😊 Can guarantee they would be happy to see such a cutie! X

If I could ever send flowers online I would

Thank you for this helpful reply. The terminology is empowering, as are the tips.

When she wakes I'll have a little play. I think I may struggle now that it's evening so I will try with daylight in the morning as sadly it's now rather dark here 😔

OP posts:
Original poster
babyeye · 02/09/2022 19:35

itsgettingweird · 02/09/2022 19:03

Awwwww she's beautiful.

I love how you dress her. It's so classic.

I see what you mean re her left eye.

I have absolutely no knowledge of eye stuff and I always say if your concerned as a parent then ask specialists for advice. Being your 3rd too this is obviously something you didn't notice with your first two.

I noticed ds seemed to have an odd grip and muscle movements when he was a baby. No one took me seriously.

At 15yo he was diagnosed with a rare degenerative neuromuscular disorder. These were subtle early signs.

Being listened too in his case wouldn't have changed anything as it didn't manifest more obviously until he was 8ish but I felt sad I'd been dismissed as neurotic when he was a baby and suffered those feelings alone and unheard.

Thank you for your empathy and sharing your experience

I really appreciate you sharing your experience.

I am really sorry you've been through that as a family and im sad your son has to cope with this.

Going to look into this in more depth. I think I'll call the HV who admittedly I have no relationship with as this is my third child, and see if we can have a referral so that when my daughter is a few months older we could rule out other conditions as listed above by some other posters

OP posts:
Original poster
babyeye · 02/09/2022 19:36

KindergartenKop · 02/09/2022 19:05

I had this and a tiny operation aged 6 fixed it.

Except when I'm horrendously drunk, when it comes back 😂

I left out the drunk reading bit Blush xxx

OP posts:
Original poster
babyeye · 02/09/2022 19:37

AnyFucker · 02/09/2022 19:08

Good God, that baby is gorgeous

I have no knowledge about her eyes

Any as someone who posts all of the time I am delighted for your stamp of approval GrinGrinGrin

OP posts:
Thehobbit2013 · 02/09/2022 19:39

My daughter was the exact same as a baby up until about three year old. It was something I was very conscious as I’ve had surgery to correct a double squint. Prior to that like you I had double vision when tired. However at six my daughter shows no signs of any squint and has regular optician appointments. I would leave it for now and see if it corrects itself.

Mrsjayy · 02/09/2022 19:39

She is absolutely gorgeous the recent photos her eyes look more focused but I did see what you meant in her first photo but it didn't look too bad. I saw a baby on TV the other day with a turban on they must be "on trend" 😀

Mrsjayy · 02/09/2022 19:40

babyeye · 02/09/2022 19:36

I left out the drunk reading bit Blush xxx

Show quote history

I also have a fixed squint that does its on thing after a few wines !

Original poster
babyeye · 02/09/2022 19:47

Mrsjayy · 02/09/2022 19:39

She is absolutely gorgeous the recent photos her eyes look more focused but I did see what you meant in her first photo but it didn't look too bad. I saw a baby on TV the other day with a turban on they must be "on trend" 😀

I'm trendy don't you know

💪🏼💪🏼 ha ha ha

Yes wine squint is a mare
I'm not such a tv gal

Must be why I accidentally order two cocktails instead of one, too 😁😁

OP posts:
FantasylandEnthusiast · 02/09/2022 19:51

One of the most beautiful babies I've ever seen x

Noodledoodledoo · 02/09/2022 19:52

My two have a fab optician who have picked up at 5/7 a slight weakness and after 9 months of patching my daughters sight has corrected, my son is about month off no more patching. Neither have had any teasing at school.

The optician has said the earlier it is caught the better, we only went as youngest failed the reception eye test.

SnackSizeRaisin · 02/09/2022 19:59

I think they look ok, in the second picture you can see that the reflection is in the same place on each eye and that's the important thing. Young babies can look like they are squinting if the bridge if the nose is relatively wide. Anyway if you are worried then get them checked. You could phone your local optician for an initial appointment. It's free for children.