Lazy eye, squints, glasses etc.....

[cheekyginger]

Im an orthoptist (binocular vision specialist) and a mummy.

I thought i would start this thread in case anyone was wanting any advice, re-assurance, opinions about any eye problems that you wee ones are having.

CheekyGinger are you still here???
Can you please explain in simple language ds's prescription for me??
Right : Sph= +5.75 Cyl= -3.00 Axis= 17
Left : Sph= +5.75 Cyl= -3.00 Axis= 170

I understand he is Long-Sighted (Sphere number??) But which number refers to astigmatism, and what is the other number for?????

Thank you.

Hi jubilee,

It not even have been detectable if he was really young as the eyes are generally very longsighted anyway. As they grow over the first 2 years that when one can fall behind and become lazy. If it had been picked up when he was two he may have required less patching overall, but really 3 is a great age to be treating amblyopia (lazy eye).

Hi Madsometimes, glad it was too traumatic for you !

6/6 is the same as 20/20 it's just that we record it in meters rather than yards (USA).

Hi 1805,

Im still here, and i will try my best!

As you correctly said the sphere indicates that he is lonsighted.

The cyl= cylinder is the strength of astigmatism (-3.00), and the Axis is the angle at which the astigmatism need to corrected. Astigmatism is to do with the curvature of the eye, some people describe it as "the eye is more like a rugby ball than a football". This has to be corrected at a certain angle unlike being long or short sighted

Does that help at all? Or has that made you more!!!

I didnt notice this thread when i wrote my other one about cornea scarring, my ds (6) has just had his eyes checked and needs glasses and also has a lazy eye we were told to patch for 30 mins daily while he plays with his nintendo ds, is this likely to reverse itself as he gets older? also as mentioned on my other thread he found lots of little scars on both corneas so any more advice on that would be appreciated too

Ha ha ha lattelov3r, i've just replied on your other thread!!!

i just noticed that we cross posted lol ive replied on there lol

Thanks, I get SOOOOOO confused trying to understand it all!!

So, his eyes are rugby ball shape (a lot ? or a little??) and one is particulary lob-sided??

How does this happen? Is it just how he is born? He had a big meningitis scare when he was 10m - could that have anything to do with it? Everyone else has 'normal' eyes.

Hi 1805,

He has a moderate amount of astigmatism (moderately rugby ball shaped) that he'll always need glasses to correct. The axis (angle) is different for each eye so he might have had a small amount of difference in the vision between the two eyes. Depends if he has a squint or not too? So from that prescription, No he is not particularly lop-sided!!!!

Unfortunately these things can just happen spontaneously. Yes, there is a higher risk for children who have a parent that needs glasses but also it can just be one of those things. It's very unlikely that this is linked to his meningitis scare as it is more to do with the structure of the eye itself...

He has a "residual micro-squint" . One eye had shut down when we started treatment, and did 3 hrs patching a day for maybe a year or so??? Can't remember now! But it worked, and he has a very small squint that you can't even see now.
What do you recommend re sunglasses? Are the transition type lenses any good?
I am so grateful for someone to explain these things!
Must just be one of those things then. Can't complain if that's all he has wrong!!

The transition ones are fine for adults but they take too long to darken and lighten for kids and they are expensive!!!

If you are going somewhere that you are going to get a lot of sun, you're best bet would be a pair of prescription sunglasses.

If just in the Uk, a cap with a skip should be fine

Hi cheeky ginger . I have been to the ophthalmologist this morning .
My da has to wear glasses . I have booked an appointment . Any tips? Tia

Hi Cheeky, sorry for delay, I've only just noticed your reply.

He has a +4.5 prescription for his right eye, his left eye is normal.

So, would this be why we've been told he should be out of them by age 8-10 ish?

He is wearing a patch 3 hrs a day now, with a check up in 6wks but we've been told now that he isn't using part of his eye correctly and that a patch sometimes corrects this but sometimes can't.

Am hoping that makes some sense to you?! My husband took him to this appt and it's like getting blood out of a stone getting the info out of him!

Hi there. Apologies if you've answered this one before. Just back from appointment today and DS needs to start patching for 4 hours a day now- not unexpected, he's had 3 months to get used to the glasses (longsighted and squint/lazy eye in R eye). Can you recommend a good timeline re getting used to patching- I forgot to ask the orthoptist. We are aiming at the 4 hours a day pretty soon, but on today's experience (first day), lots of tears and upset, I've realised that it may take a few days/week for him to get used to the patch. He is pretty good at doing what is needed (no probs wearing the glasses straight away) and he understands why he needs to wear the patch (he's 5 and 7 months), but clearly it's not easy for him, well won't be initially. I was thinking working up from half an hour/an hour tomorrow and aiming for the 4 hours by next Monday? How does that sound, or is it better to just go for it (DS willing!!!?)
Hope your work is going well.

Hi bishboschone,

Your optometrist should be able to get you a pair of glasses that fit really well. Getting them on as much as possible is your first goal. Lots of praise and rewards and just build up to having them on all day as soon as you can. Good luck

Hi HairyFairy,
That is a tricky one! Yes his eyes will have finished growing by the time he is 10 so in theory he can stop his glasses as the poor eye will not get lazy again at that age. However if he doesn't have a squint and is therefore binocular then he might want to wear his glasses! As he cant use his two eyes together without his prescription. A contact lens in one eye could be an option when he is older.

Hi Tggr,
I often tell parent to build up over a few days. Does you DS like colouring in/lego/ hand held computer games?? You could give him a treat i.e a new colouring book, game-time, something specifically for "patch" time so that it's something he looks forward to. Another option is wearing it at school. If by the end of a week he is wearing it quite well, then he could wear it to school but only if he is happy to do that?! Good luck

Thanks Cheeky

Thanks Cheeky. We had more success today- wore patch for an hour after school and no upset. Will build up over the next few days and then aim to wear at school next week some time. And I have promised a treat when he gets to the 4 hours- when he heard this he said he'd try for 4 hours tomorrow (so transparent!)- think that might be a bit much, I said we'd try 2 and see how he was doing .

hi, my daughter has a squint and really bad eye sight her perscription is like 1100 (if that means anything?) she may need possible patching in the future! i know she will always need glasses but i was wondering if she wants to in the future will she be able to get lazer eye surgery or use contacts? she is only 20 months so not likely to need any of those yet :D

Hello there, I've just posted on another board and someone suggested I come over to ask for help here...

DD is 20 months and just diagnosed with an alternating convergent squint.

We are waiting for the prescription to be filled.

If anyone has experience and if the glasses have worked or if surgery was needed I'd love to hear

One eye or the other will turn in especially when looking closer up. The long sight is not significant, and 'within the bounds of what is normal at this age' nonetheless the consultant wants us to try the glasses first. She has got a prescription I think it says in one eye 1.5 and 1.75 in the other. I don't quite understand it all yet never having had problems with my own eyes/sight. No family history of squints etc I found talk of surgery a bit alarming, and it seems a shame for a 20 month old to have to wear specs full time, how I'm going to make that happen I've no idea!

Thank you for the reply ginger .. We have little blue ones . He really looks like the milky bar kid , bless him .

To cheeky ginger:

Hi Cheeky
This is a good idea this board :) My dd age 4.5 has just been to the eye clinic at the hospital having been given glasses by Vision Express 6 months ago. I took her as had concerns for her eyes as she stood so close to the tv. She has a strong astigmatism. Today her prescription was +2.25 -4.00 (LE) and +3.00 -4.00 (RE). Will her vision likely improve? will she always require glasses? She isnt fussed about them and wears them well. She was excited choosing a new pair today due to the change in prescription. Jo x

Well done Tggr! Good luck with the 4 hours

Hi lilbeansmummy

Is your daughters prescription +11.00???[confused]

Laser surgery on the depends on the prescription, and there are limits for the amount of prescription that laser can correct. However, things might change before your LO is 18 years old!!! Contact lenses can be an option for most prescriptions. But these can work be quite pricey if the prescription is particularly high/complex.

Hi sedgieloo,
The Dr will want to see what affect the prescription has in the squint. In some cases the glasses can make the squint smaller. If the glasses make no difference at all then they may be stopped in the future and surgery may be an option if you are not happy with the appearance of the squint. If the Dr's/orthoptists feel that their is a chance that she may be able to use her eyes together then they will suggest surgery sooner rather than later.
Good luck with the glasses, some kids take to them very easily and sometimes it can take a bit of work.

Hi Snriacoj,
When you ask will her vision likely improve. That depends in what you mean . She should be able to reach a normal level of vision looking through the glasses. She has a reasonable amount of astigmatism which is caused by the structure of the eye itself. The eye is said to be more like a rugby ball than a football, but this it is just the front part of the eye (the cornea), not the whole eye! Astigmatism can change as she grows. But from the prescription she has i would say that it is very likely she will always need glasses. Hope she enjoys her new glasses!!!

Hi daenerysstormborn,
Was her patching stopped because the orthoptists felt she had reach her maximum level with that eye?
It is likely she will always need her glasses even if they were to reduce a little over time, as you say she has double vision when she takes them off. However contact lenses would have the same effect as the glasses so there would be no reason she couldnt give them a try when she is older.