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Original poster

Anyone’s child have a squint?

35 replies

Advicefor · 05/10/2025 14:59

I’m really struggling with what to do and I feel let down by NHS and Private. I don’t know what I should be doing to be honest. Please can someone advice:

At age 3 DS developed a squint (might have been earlier but this is when it became noticeable). Basically his right eye in particular would just move by itself and go outwards. He got glasses and was assessed by hospital for 2 years. At age 5 he was allowed to go opticians so I took him there as I felt the hospital was doing very little. They just kept monitoring him and not really helping. I did research on eye exercises but the doctor shut it down and said no I shouldn’t do anything like that. The opticians as well just kept monitoring not helping, we went private healthcare which again doesn’t feel like they are doing anything. It was covered by my husbands medical insurance but Aviva is now telling us they don’t pay for just monitoring so next time we go it will have to be paid by us and if there is to be any treatment etc. they will pay but not for monitoring.

I just feel lost as I have no idea what I should be doing. My GP is rubbish.

Has anyone’s child had a squint and did it go away by itself or was medical intervention needed?

OP posts:
Original poster
Advicefor · 05/10/2025 15:00

My son is 7 now

OP posts:
FeministThrowingAPrincessParty · 05/10/2025 15:04

Did the hospital team recommend patching the good eye? My understanding is that it won’t straighten the eye but will strengthen the vision in it. My son does patching for another eye condition www.mkuh.nhs.uk/patient-information-leaflet/occlusion-treatment-eye-patching

Itbeginswith · 05/10/2025 15:07

My son has a squint. We were told that as it’s corrected by glasses then surgery isn’t appropriate and be no longer needs any follow up. This has been with two different NHS trusts.

Hollowvoice · 05/10/2025 15:10

I would expect patching and/or glasses.
If the glasses are keeping it under control then there may not be a need for anything more right now, hence the monitoring

CMOTDibbler · 05/10/2025 15:13

I have a squint like your sons - I can control it, but my left eye will wander off. Its different to a 'lazy' eye which they do patching for, and from what I understand in my 40 years of having it, surgery for unstable squints (rather than the sort where the eye isn't straight all the time) is less successful - I did have two sets of surgery as a teenager plus did lots of the exercises and still had it. As I wear glasses, I just have prisms in the lenses which make it easier for my eyes to work together and the vast majority of the time you would never know and it doesn't affect me.

NewDogOwner · 05/10/2025 15:21

We had a little squint and it fixed itself. The muscles get stronger over time. Don't panic. This could happen for yours too.

mummymissessunshine · 05/10/2025 15:26

Does he have glasses?

next time you see the eye team, ask for someone to explain what the condition is, the longer term expected outcome and treatment options. And for them to confirm where in that plan you currently are.

I have a squint. Diagnosed at age 3. Yes I did the exercises that used to be prescribed. I still have it now when I’m tired.

I wore glasses every day from the age of 3 until I had cataract surgery.

and yes when I’m tired I may squint!!!!

Careeradviceplease1234 · 05/10/2025 15:31

Hi Op,

I had a squint from 6 months old, inward turning eye. I wore glasses from then and although I'm hazy on the details I know I had eye patches to help strengthen the weak eye. I couldn't tell you for how long. In my memory it feels like it was for a long time but I'd say in reality it was maybe a few months when I was around 3 or 4.

I then wore glasses every day all the time until I was about 14, when I was then allowed to not wear them for a few hours at a time and by 18 I didn't need them anymore as the eye had strengthened. I was slightly short sighted too but the glasses were primarily for the squint.

I went to the optician once year, a hospital appointment once a year and an appointment with an opthalmic surgeon once a year.

The only time my eye would ever turn now is if I'm very tired or sick and it is very slight. Only my mum or dad would be able to notice it.

I can't remember specifics but I will say that I did wear my glasses all day ever day for the first 14 years of my life. My parents were strict when I was very small and so it was a normal thing for me.

For reference I am 30 born in 1994. So that was the treatment 29.5 years ago. At a time surgery was discussed but for a reason I don't know they didn't go down that route.

Sorry if this is a bit long and not useful. I tried to include the details I know but obviously my mum would tell more I'm sure. I would really push for a proper treatment plan which isn't useful advice because it sounds like your already trying to do that. I am very grateful to my parents for being so insistent on the patches and glasses and it being as corrected as it can be.

Deadringer · 05/10/2025 15:39

There are different types of squints so treatments vary. My dd has a different type of squint in each eye, her father has Dwyane's syndrome but she doesn't. Glasses keep hers straight, she had patches for ages but they didn't improve it one jot. The important thing is that it is being monitored.

Original poster
Advicefor · 05/10/2025 15:55

Thank you so much everyone. I just feel really overwhelmed by it all. Yes he does wear glasses. He’s short sighted but apart from this no one really tells me anything. He’s getting bullied in school too which is really upsetting to hear as the boys have been copying him! He tells me they all try to squint but just cross their eyes.

OP posts:
Lilyhatesjaz · 05/10/2025 15:58

I had a squint in one eye as a child which was operated on when I was 7 I still have it a bit but I am able to stop it if I realise my eye is drifting out. It hasn't caused me any real problems since.

8Daphne · 05/10/2025 16:08

My 13 year old is very short sighted and has an alternating squint....he squints in both eyes, but not at the same time. He's worn glasses since being 2 years old, never had patching, and we considered surgery but we were told it would only be cosmetic and only a 50/50 chance of being successful.

Now he's a teenager and his eyes are pretty stable with his glasses on (unless he's very tired or ill). We've been reminded a couple of times that the option for cosmetic surgery is still available to him, but we'd rather him have a say in that decision than force it on him.

Laffydaffy · 05/10/2025 16:09

DS is 14 and has - 16 in both eyes. The doctor's say that his squint is more to do with his extreme short-sightedness rather than being an actual squint needing patching. The squint occurs when he looks closer at things. Given that both his eyes have pretty much the same script, and have continued this trajectory his whole life, we are satisfied that it is more cosmetic, if that makes sense.

Hankunamatata · 05/10/2025 16:11

The surgery can be risky. My dc only had it done when his eye turned permanently inwards and experienced double vision

RaspberryRipple2 · 05/10/2025 16:15

I had one and had surgery aged 2 (in the 80s). Also wore patches but I don’t think this element ever worked. My eyes have always focussed independently of each other and have opposite sight - one long sighted one short sighted (short sightedness didn’t develop until later). But to look at me you wouldn’t know I’d ever had an issue - if I focus through the eye with the squint though, my other eye turns inwards, but I don’t do that without meaning to as that eye is much weaker!

SomebodysIcecream · 05/10/2025 16:19

A few questions, OP-

-is it still the case that it could be either eye turning out? (I know you said mainly the right)

—do his glasses stop his eye(s) from turning (or improve things) or do they just make his vision clearer?

—does he get double vision?

-what kind of optician do you go to? (eg, high street chain or independent)

—did they ever talk about surgery at the hospital?

I have some experience in this as I am an optician and also my child has a squint from age 3yrs!

Mischance · 05/10/2025 16:21

The glasses are to help resolve the squint over time - he has these and it is being monitored. What more are you wanting? Several people - NHS, private and optician have said that he just needs monitoring. What else can they say?

I had a DD like this with glasses from about 18 months. It took time.

MrsFantastic · 05/10/2025 16:31

My son is 21 and he had an operation on the NHS on both eyes for a squint when he was 5. They said that the squint could come back, but it hasn't so far.

B12stuff · 05/10/2025 16:38

I had a squint. My parents decided against surgery as they were told it could recur. I went through my childhood and twenties with it. I then had surgery as an adult at Moorfields. Best thing I ever did and I wish my parents had made a different decision.

Ignored124 · 05/10/2025 20:59

Yes my child does have a squint , surgery is the only treatment for it and it’s only going to improve the cosmetic aspect .

OP , you need to see a ophthalmologist. Perhaps a specialist in your area. Have you seen one ? Not an optician or a gp. Both will be useless/ clueless .

It really depends on the cause of the squint . My son was born with his.
If he’s getting bullied you may need to consider surgery if glasses do not control the squint. Tell the consultant you NEED to get some treatment for your son . That’s what I had to to do. other wise F all was going to be done , just pointless monitoring .

AdoraBell · 05/10/2025 21:03

My DD had this and the Doctor, overseas, said use patches on the other eye when not in school. I can’t remember how long it took but it did fix it.

waltzingparrot · 05/10/2025 21:20

CMOTDibbler · 05/10/2025 15:13

I have a squint like your sons - I can control it, but my left eye will wander off. Its different to a 'lazy' eye which they do patching for, and from what I understand in my 40 years of having it, surgery for unstable squints (rather than the sort where the eye isn't straight all the time) is less successful - I did have two sets of surgery as a teenager plus did lots of the exercises and still had it. As I wear glasses, I just have prisms in the lenses which make it easier for my eyes to work together and the vast majority of the time you would never know and it doesn't affect me.

DS is 20 now but had squint surgery in reception year and then again at 17 as is often the case that it's needed again when they're older. He had patching when young. We were told it's important to improve the vision as best as can be incase there's ever an injury to the best eye. If he'd only ever looked through his good eye, he could have lost the vision in the other.

Peridoteage · 05/10/2025 21:26

My niece has one. It tends to mostly go when she has her glasses on & is miles less noticeable now (age 10.5) than when she was younger.

They don't rush to do surgery for things that are largely cosmetic because its a pretty big risk to take & it can even wind up worse.

Simplygreen · 05/10/2025 21:28

I have a squint, I am very short sighted, I have a stronger prescription in the eye with the squint (-11 and -9). It is corrected when I’m wearing glasses and I only notice it when I don’t have any glasses on which is rarely.

Owly11 · 05/10/2025 21:41

If he is still squinting in his glasses then yes he needs to patch the good eye to make him use the weaker eye and get it stronger. You need to get a referral back to the hospital. Why did they say they were discharging him? Vision therapy will also help if you can find someone to do it - you would need a behavioural optometrist. You must keep on it to make sure he gets this resolved because a squint will interfere with the development of binocular vision. It won’t go away by itself, no.