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Binocular vision - or lack of it

42 replies

ApuskiDusky · 31/08/2011 12:05

Hi, we've just come back from our appointment with the opthamologist for ds1 (3, almost 4), after 6 months of him wearing glasses and patching. He has ruled out surgery for now because cosmetically ds's squint is corrected enough with his glasses, and functionally it looks like ds has lost any binocular vision that he had and so there is no point in trying to get it back.

I'm feeling a bit angry that something might have been done sooner - we've had a succession of trainee optometrists with mass confusion in his notes about when he got a squint and how bad it is/was, and we had an appointment with the opthamologist 6 months ago that was cancelled and were sent to the optometrist instead. But we are where we are.

Can anyone explain what the implications of not having binocular vision are, please? And whether there is anything we can do to help? His actual eyesight is very good, and we're stopping the patching for now.

OP posts:
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acebaby · 05/09/2011 12:13

DH has no binocular vision for the same reason as the OP's DS. He can't see 3d films or magic eye pictures (as others have said).

However, he is a terrific reverse parker - much better than me Grin. He also can use a binocular microscope (did a PhD in genetics with lots and lots of microscope work).

ApuskiDusky · 05/09/2011 12:44

Many thanks all. Ginger, I think we will wait to see what is offered next, now that surgery has been ruled out - we should get another appointment in a couple of months. I will try to get referrred to an orthoptist.

OP posts:
IndigoBell · 05/09/2011 14:47

The NHS orthoptist and opthamolagist didn't charge us any money - nor did they do anything for DS.

And when they saw him 6 months later and his vision was improved, they weren't even interested.

Although they were quite happy to see him again in a further 6 months, and continue to do nothing.

cheekyginger · 05/09/2011 14:50

Hi acebaby,

Didnt mean to suggest that people with no BV can't use a microscope at all. It's just that in the NHS there are some specialties that will not accept medical students with no or very poor BV as it can affect their ability with very high end microscopic surgery.

As for having no binocular vision. If you dont have any BV from childhood most people adapt very well and often have NO problems with co-ordination or reverse parking!! But for some its a very good excuse!!! He he he

acebaby · 05/09/2011 16:03

hi cheekyginger,

I'm sure you're right about using binocular microscopes for medical purposes. Dissecting newly fertilized hen eggs, which is what DH did, is hardly life or death (except to the chickens I suppose).

I wish I had a handy excuse for all the dents in my car Grin

cheekyginger · 05/09/2011 16:32

Hi ace....we've just recently had our rear tail light replaced as the DH reversed into a lampost!!! And he has excellent vision. He swears it came out of nowhere....dope!!!

ApuskiDusky · 05/09/2011 16:46

Indigo, thanks for the suggestion of the behavioural optometrist, according to your list there is an opticians that offers this in my town, so will keep it in mind if the NHS team don't make any further suggestions.

OP posts:
cupofteainpeace · 05/09/2011 21:49

Have not read complete thread, but here's our experience..
DS started treatment for squint/lazy eye ,long sightedness, and astigmatisms age 3.
AT this point he could not see any of the 3D test pictures.
However, at age 8 his binoc vision began to improve. I don't actually know how it is now as we just have optician tests now.
He has amazing eye/hand co-ordination as is great at all sports. But he can't see 3D films ("it's just blurred") or magic eye pictures.
Doesn't make sense to me but that's how he says it is. (age 9 now)

We have always been given positive outlooks as technology and laser treatment are developing all the time. Maybe, just maybe he could be a fighter pilot in 15 yrs time. Who knows??

jenniec79 · 05/09/2011 21:55

Mine wasn't picked up till I was 12.

Far too late for surgery by then, but vision fairly ok both eyes - started with reading glasses this year. Did exercises very sporadically, but they work when I do them. Nowadays it surfaces when I'm tired, but otherwise I forget it.

Loupes/binocular microscopes/magic-eye pics are just about doable, but do tend to give me a headache after a while.

And cheekyginger I did a neurosurg job a couple of years ago with no trouble from my eyes (not that I'm planning flying a spitfire any time soon!)

EdithWeston · 05/09/2011 22:03

DH doesn't have stereoscopic vision. He's had to learn distance cues differently (I've no idea how - he's done it all his life!). He's fine to drive (checked with DVLA) but there were some professions closed to him (as mentioned above, certain medical specialities, scientific things and military roles (like fighter pilot and bomb disposal) and a few other roles that require really good sight and perception of depth).

It can be a bit hazardous when he's topping up drinks - he often misses! And 3D just gives him a headache - lucky him, it's me that has to take DCs to such films!

IndigoBell · 06/09/2011 09:56

I have come across desperate parents who have poured ridiculous amounts of money to BO with no results, they end up at us and we have to break the news that infact nothing can "cure" the childs problem and they have the shock of realising they have wasted huge amounts of cash. (Light box therapy can cost up to £200 and has absolutely no scientific basis)

Actually I just remembered last night. Blush This is what cured DSs lack of 3d vision (Lightwave stimulation at the Sound Learning Centre). The behaviour optometrist cured other vision problems.

cheekyginger · 06/09/2011 16:27

Hey Indigo,

Glad you had success with a behavioural optometrist and im sure many people have. But alot of things could be treated for free on the NHS. Just wanted to make people aware of orthoptists before spending a fortune.

The level of care you get on the NHS will vary from place to place but at least it is free. In alot of cases it might be best to get checked by an orthoptist first before spending lots of hard earned cash!!

(i get no financial gain from bigging orthoptist up, we are just a very small part of the NHS that people dont know about)

cupofteainpeace · 06/09/2011 19:14

I would like to thank Oxfordshire Eye Hospital!!!
By the way - anyone have a guide age when kids can cope with monthly contact lenses?

cheekyginger · 07/09/2011 07:55

Hi cupoftea,

In scotland it totally depends on who your optometrist is and how sensible the child is.
I've seen children as young as 9 getting contact lenses purely for contact sports such as rugby. But generally age 11 or 12 is a bit more common. The child has to be able to put them in and take them out by themselves which can take a few attempts to get the hang of.

Your optom would also give you advice for what type to start with. Daily ones might be easier as no cleaning involved!! Teenage boys and cleaning might not be a good mix!!!

VerityBrulee · 07/09/2011 18:37

Hi Apuski Smile

I have no binocular vision, and it has no impact on my life other than not being able to see 3D in movies. I'm and excellent driver and expert reverse parker!

cupofteainpeace · 07/09/2011 19:08

cheekyginger - thanks for that. I find the whole eyes thing very complicated!
Our optician said last week that his prescription could not be done for daily contact lenses (astigmatisms too much/high?) so we have to consider monthly ones.

DS is very (fairly) sensible but as you say, the responsibility of cleaning may be too much. He wears sports goggles at the moment which tbh are a bit un-trendy!!
Has anyone on here got a ds age 9 who copes??
Obviously we need more talk with optician, but would welcome experinecs and advice from anyone.

VTrocks · 16/04/2016 14:31

Binocular vision is having the eyes and brain work together to what they are supposed to see how they are to see and where they are to se the object.

Here's a little information most of u may be interested in.

I m in the USA and have co created a closed fb group vision therapy parents unite. Please join to learn more information.

Vision encompasses testing peripheral vision, depth perception, spatial awareness, stereopsis, binocular, 3D, convergence, and so much more. All of your internal systems, vestibular, neural, nervous, and other rely heavily on your visual processing because your brain and eyes have to process the Information u see not only how u are seeing it, where u r seeing it, and what u r seeing. Binocular vision teaming/tracking are so very important when it comes to your vision. All Of these visual processes can be acquired by vision therapy. In the uk they are known as behavioral optometrists. Go to www.babo.co.uk to locate one near you.

For instance, if one has amblyopia/strabismus one eye may shut itself off because it's not visually processing the information that it sees properly so folks go around only seeing out of one eye. Or having surgery done to cosmetically fix the turn instead of treating the root cause of the issue.

This is why so many people are misinformed about what vision actually is.

20/20 eyesight acuity is your distance at far.

Vision is everything else up close, to the side, judging how far a car is away from u, where one is standing in "space" called spatial awareness. This is why so many children seem to have learning disabilities because their vision is off and it throws out all kind of symptoms and the VTODs are aka behavioral/developmental optometrists bc they have been taught/trained to look at behaviors and developmental milestones along with learning the visual aspect and eye diseases etc.

This is why when u get examined by a VTOD it is a full comprehensive eye exam that can last from 2-3 hrs. The best money ever spent to either rule in or out vision issues.

One does not miss what one does not know. If you had perfect vision, as mentioned above, and then don't have it u know what u r missing. It's all about the quality of life one chooses to live.

My son at age 22 mos. had strabismus plus strabismus corrective surgery which made his vision worse. After surgery he was developmentally delayed with many issues. This gave My son a mis-dx with moderate autism pdd-nos, we were told at age 5 that he would not b a productive member of society, he would live with us the rest of our lives, and get a special needs trust. I was devastated to say the least! We found a great OT who figured out he needed vision therapy. Within 4-6 weeks we were seeing tremendous changes in him. No more lining up cars/items, no more repeating questions over n over again, his handwriting improved, speech improved, coordination improved, running, riding a bike, he could finally put Legos together, bathroom issues got better, reading improved, and more. 4 yrs later and after 3 yrs of vt he is thriving in the classroom, needs minimal assistance and the sky's the limit. He is now dxd with Aspergers. He is still working on the last part of attaining his 3D vision. He's come such a long way. So very proud of him ❤️❤️❤️❤️

His dxs by the VTOD were strabismus, amblyopia, esotropia, exotropia, no peripheral vision, no depth persecution, no spatial awareness, no stereopsis, no 3D. He was seeing double with a head tilt bc the surgery just cosmetically aligned his eyes. Most POs do not know a thing about vision only 20/20 sight acuity far vision -snellen chart 😔

www.facebook.com/pages/Joshuas-Journey/271053699695369

Most Opthamologists tell people there is a cut off age for surgery/acquiring binocular vision like ours did bc most of the time it is used as a scare tactic. 😡😔 and if it is a binocular issue the Opthamologist doesn't know anything about the functional part of the eye on the medical side of the eye.

Knowing what I know now, I ask myself why did the PO tell me my child would go blind in one eye of we didn't do surgery by age 2? Why couldn't the PO tell me my child was seeing double after surgery? Why couldn't the PO tell me he had amblyopia? Why couldn't he tell me Joshua had Esotropia, Exotropia, no binocular vision, no depth perception, no peripheral vision, no spatial awareness, no stereopsis and no 3D?

These questions have boggled my mind for 9 yrs now. I know now why he couldn't tell me why? POs are surgeons. They do not have training with vision n these issues bc they are functional issues, meaning the body has to function properly so that all 15 visual processing skills are used to their fullest potential. Vision is the key element it's processing the information one takes in to make sense out of what it's seeing to tell the brain.

I wish u all the best and I am just sharing information so that others do not have to suffer like my son did/does.

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