"Lazy eye" - 4 yo just been diagnosed - am v worried!...

[Jan2]

We went for a routine eye screening test yesterday and my 4 year old DD was diagnosed as having a lazy eye. We had no idea there was a problem we are a bit shocked/worried.

The next stage is further tests at the hospital to determine the extent of the problem and then probably glasses and possibly an eye patch (which bothers me). The woman said that if she does need an eye patch it would just be for a couple of hours a day at home.

My DD used to be very clingy and shy but has recently become very confident and independent. She is just 4 and will be one of the younger ones starting school in September - I am worried that this could knock her confidence.

Does anyone have any experience of "lazy eye" - I'd never heard of it before yesterday!

my dd had a squint in her left eye and the eye was also lazy (poorer eye sight). She got glasses at 18 months and has had them ever since. She had patching treatment for quite a while where the patch is put on the good eye to make the bad eye work properly. DD had to wear it for 2 hours a day which dropped to 1 hour as the eyesight improved. There are loads of lovely frames for girls now and dd has never had problems with regards to other children making comments. She was very good with the patching treatment too - you could probably fit it in after school if you didnt want her to stand out at school.

My son was diagnosed with a lazy eye 18 months ago at the age of three. we had noticed that one of his eyes was squinting and went to the doctors about it. We saw a specialist at the hospital and he was given glasses. He is long sighted in both eyes but particularly so in the eye with the squint. he took to the glasses really well. A few months in we also started patching. he has now been doing this for just over a year. We were very nervous about this at first, we couldn't imagine that he would accept having the patch on but after some time he took to it and he now does approx two hours per day. His squint is much better, hardly detectable now. His eyesight has not improved but we will keep patching probably until he is 7 ( the age when children's eyes have stopped developing).
My son has been extremely sensible about the whole process. we go every 2 months to the hospital for his check up and he is fully involved in what is discussed about his progress.
If you are honest with your daughter about what is happening she might be absolutely fine about it.
I totally understand your feelings of concern and the shock. I was really devastated for a while. I also felt guilty that I hadn't realised that DS eyesight was so poor. BUT he's doing well and we're getting on with it all.
GOOD LUCK

Thank you both so much for taking the time to post - both posts are very reassuring! My DD is very sensible I think I'm just in shock at the moment! Thanks again.

Hello, I have a lazy eye and my DD has one too. Her lazy eye was diagnosed at a year old but she would not sit still for her eye tests at the hospital so they couldn't get a good look to work out her prescription. We had to take her back at 2 years old and she has been given glasses which I collect tomorrow. I have been told by the consultant that as the problem was picked up early she should hopefully won't need the glasses forever. I have to take her back in 4 months and they may start patching.

Try not to worry. Your DD's lazy eye has been diagnosed so at least they can do something about it. My lazy eye was not diagnosed until I was 7 and it was too late to do anything about. I had glasses and still do. The reason it is often not picked up is because the normal eye compensates for the lazy one. My DD was only diagnosed so early because I have one and problems like this can be hereditary so please don't beat yourself up about it.

Take care and good luck.

My ds was 4 when we were told he had a lazy eye, not noticeable looking at him at all. He had a patch and wore glasses and his eyesight has now improved so much that he won't need to wear them when he is 8. He loves his glasses and his sister is jealous. It is likely she will need them soon as well.

Lots of kids have glasses now but it does help if they are confident about the whole thing. He only had one problem at school, one morning before school started in primary one a wee boy tried to take his glasses off and went for his face, ds punched him in the stomach and floored him! Not my proudest moment in the playground but the other boys mum apologised to me and ds!

Hi, can't help specifically with the lazy eye, but wanted to try and reassure you re glasses and the patch. My son's friend (6 years old) has both glasses and a patch. The patch he has to wear all morning at school and he has to take it off at lunch. His eye prob was only picked up in reception last year by the routine eye test at school. He has no probs with the patch and the other children are good at reminding him he needs to take it off at lunch. Try not to worry.

I have a lazy eye which was never spotted when I was a child. I would encourage you to take the treatment offered. Having a lazy eye affects your depth and distance perception making it difficult to drive safely, esp. parking and quite uncomfortable in crowds as you can't always tell where people are around you. You also can not watch 3D TV :(

My ds's lazy eye was picked up by gp at 4 yr check. It was a real shock and very worrying at the time. However we were referred to hospital and was very long sighted in the lazy eye. We were given glasses and when we went back for a check up after 4 weeks his bad eye was as good as the other with the glasses! It was a really good result and amazing that his eye started working again.
They have a really good selection of glasses in specsavers.

my DS2 (aged 4) has also been diagnosed with a lazy eye - unfortunately its a family trait - and got his first glasses about 4 weeks ago.He loves them and doesn't want to take them off. The change in his personality is amazing. He is so much more confident and happy and it is crystal clear that without his glasses the wee sausage is as blind as a bat.

Have to agree with bluebell99 too about Specsavers.. Went to four different opticians including boots and they were so unhelpful. Specsavers have an amazing range of kids glasses from babies right up to teens and the staff in our local branch have been amazing with DS2.

Well done for getting it sorted! Mine was never treated which has led to problems in adult life. Have similar problems to Maggie.