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Behaviour/development

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Original poster

Forceps delivery linked to astigmatism and/or poor eyesight?

21 replies

teamhoffman · 19/10/2016 22:25

Has anyone had a forceps delivery and your child that has a severe astigmatism or high prescription for glasses? My son was born by forceps delivery in 2009 and we discovered when he had the standard eyesight screening in year R that he is very long sighted and has a severe astigmatism in both eyes. An optician has informed me that it is likely that his astigmatism and poor eye sight is as a result of his forceps delivery. I am wondering how common this is. I am thinking if there is a link it would be good for new mums to be advised to get their babies eyes tested as young as possible. Any thoughts gratefully received :)

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 19/10/2016 22:32

My Dd is long sighted (no one else wears glasses in our house apart from her) and she didnt have a forceps delivery. Is it really implicated in eye problems?

Original poster

teamhoffman · 19/10/2016 22:44

I have no idea! Thats what i am wondering. I have never considered it before but I was told that today by an optician. Particularly with regard to my sons astigmatism. He has been under the hospital for his eyesight for 18 months or so and they have never asked about his delivery.

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PoshPenny · 19/10/2016 22:50

All I can tell you is that I was a forceps delivery and have astigmatism and short sight with a high prescription. Even with the special thin lenses my glasses look rubbish

bonzo77 · 19/10/2016 22:53

I was high forceps delivery. Face looks quite bruised on new born pictures. My mum badly cut etc. Eye sight ok, slight short sightedness and mild astigmatism.

Fairylea · 19/10/2016 22:55

I was always led to believe it is linked to genetics, not something that is linked to your birth. However, I am -9.50 in both eyes with severe astigmatism and I was a forceps delivery. My mum has worse eyes than me though and wasn't.

MrsBungle · 19/10/2016 22:59

My dd was born with forceps and her eye sight is fine. I have astigmatism as does my mum and neither of us were born by forceps.

Paddingtonthebear · 19/10/2016 23:02

I was delivered by forceps as was my husband and our DD and we all have good eyesight

Original poster

teamhoffman · 19/10/2016 23:03

I find it really interesting. The optician did say it can be genetic but in that case you would expect the mum would have worse astigmatism than the child like in your case fairylee. I am going to chat to the hospital at our next appointment and see if they acknowledge any link at all.

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PickAChew · 19/10/2016 23:05

Short sighted DS1 - forceps
Long sighted with astigmatism DS2 - unassisted delivery.
DH is very short sighted, but didn't even need glasses until puberty.
I have an astigmatism, don't think I needed forceps, but didn't get glasses until I was in my 20s, anyhow.

Visual defects are down to shape and size of eyeball. Unlikely that would be permanently affected by the type of birth.

PickAChew · 19/10/2016 23:05

DH born by section, btw.

Original poster

teamhoffman · 19/10/2016 23:05

The optician seemed so certain which is why I thought I would do a bit of research

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GoldenWorld · 19/10/2016 23:05

I'm a midwife and never heard that before but who knows. I don't think it's really understood what causes eye problems.

I was very short sighted with astigmatism (have had laser surgery) and was a normal delivery. My sister was also a normal delivery and had no issues at all. I always just assumed she lucked out in the genetic lottery.

Nottsangel2015 · 19/10/2016 23:06

I was a forceps delivery and have an astigmatism do not need strong prescription glasses but I do need glasses for long distance and working with the computer have done since I was a teen. How interesting I never knew there was a link!

LemonEmmaP · 19/10/2016 23:08

I was born by a forceps delivery many years ago, and was apparently quite heavily bruised on the right hand side of my head. I have very poor sight in my right eye - it's not been described as astigmatism, but I have had one optician suggest that the forceps delivery may have been responsible. However, when I discussed it in more recent appointments, no other optician has supported that view. FWIW I am 48 and still don't need to wear glasses, despite the fact that I can see so poorly out of my right eye - my left eye makes up for the deficiency.

Original poster

teamhoffman · 19/10/2016 23:08

He said that the forceps in some cases push on the membrane near the temple which can slightly rupture and mishape the cornea.

OP posts:

Original poster

teamhoffman · 19/10/2016 23:09

Who knows! Perhaps just bad luck bless him. I will see what the hospital say next time but it's not until January we go again.

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Kr1stina · 19/10/2016 23:13

I have a child with astigmatism and other visual problems and he was delivered by CS. He has been seen at the hospital regularly since he was one. Had surgery at two and has been attending ever since.

No one has ever asked how he was delivered or linked it it any want to his birth .

CalmerLlama · 19/10/2016 23:13

If it helps reassure at all, DD has astigmatism and is quite short sighted and she had no intervention at all, very straightforward birth, even had comments about how perfectly round her head was from midwife and asked if she was a c-section baby (that sounds like a stealth boast somehow!) so sometimes it obviously is just luck of the draw.

MarklahMarklah · 19/10/2016 23:16

I was a forceps delivery. I have had an astigmatism show on one eye test but that seems to have been corrected. I'm very short-sighted.

However, I believe my sibling was also a forceps delivery. Sibling has 20/20 vision.

Neither parent had vision problems other than increasing long-sightedness in more mature years.

HeCantBeSerious · 19/10/2016 23:24

I was a forceps delivery - became short sighted in my 20s and was in late 20s when discovered slight astigmatism.

DD was a forceps delivery - they dented her skull on her cheekbones they pulled so hard. She's 8 and has perfect eyes. (Good job, she wants to be a fighter pilot.)

blaeberry · 20/10/2016 00:17

Whether or not the optician is correct, you will not be able to draw any conclusions from on here.

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