3 year old DD's eyes turning outwards

[BrightestStarInTheSky]

My DD is 3.8 and over the last couple of weeks, I have noticed that when she is talking to me her eyes wander off to the side and sometimes up.

The past couple of days it has got worse and it's happening most times she focuses on me.
I have booked an opticians appointment for Thursday.
Do I need to go to GP as well?
Has anybody elses DC had this? What was the outcome?

Both in the same direction or opposite directions?

I would see the gp as well just in case in the optician tells you to go there anyway.

Sometimes just one eye goes out, but occasionally both eyes will go opposite ways.
Thank you. Will call GP tomorrow

Sorry that i have no experience of this.

I hope it all turns out ok. You must be quite worried.

I'd say GP best bet, for onward referral to orthoptist.

Quite common for an eye to go out wards but may stop the vision developing , sombestbtonget checked soon.

If the optician appointment is in the next week I would leave the gp for now

I have this type of squint, it is correctable but the optician will give you some more information for a gp referral and will be able to have a more detailed look at the back of your lo's eyes

Thank you all for your replys.
Appointment is thursday. I am worrying that it may affect vision.

Your lo may well need glasses -squints that appear rather than always having been there are often to do with eyesight issues but children adapt really well to glasses

If the squint isn't corrected then 3d vision can be affected as it is in my case but as I've never known any different the only thing it stops me doing is watching 3d films -I drive, play sports etc -cosmetically I have straight eyes but this wasn't done early enough

You've noticed the squint and you are doing the right thing taking him to the optician

Thank you for your reassurance 17leftfeet

DS1 had a squint.

He wore an eye patch on one eye for a few hours a day for a couple of years, which is longer than most. He also wore glasses.

In the end he had a squint operation to correct it. It wasn't too bad at all and he recovered quickly.

Even if it is the 'worst case' scenario it's really not that bad. I am not trying to belittle it but it is all treatable.

Sorry, I think optician should be able to do a direct referral to orthoptist at the hospital. You are unlikely to have to go to GP.

When I needed a referral to the orthoptist the optician had to go through my gp but I'm not sure if that applies to children.

I have that type of squint too and my 3d vision is affected. I've had it since I was 10 months old. I have had an operation now to correct it though.

Ah. I know DH got a referral straight to the ophthalmologist at the hospital from the optician so assumed they could refer directly to the hospital for adults and kids. It may be one of those things that is different in different areas.

With DS we were already under care of ophthalmologist for different eye issues so didn't get sent there via optician.

Thank you for your messages. DH keeps asking me question I don't bloody know the answer to! It's good to know most cases can be corrected.

Optician would have to refer to GP, who then refers to orthoptist.

If the eye is drifting out , it is less likely to be associated with a need for glasses , an eye that goes inwards often does so, because it is longsightedness at over focussing causes the squint.

I had a squint that wasn't picked up until I was 11, and had to have surgery. I realise this might be a worst case scenario for you, but can I try and reassure you that I got over it very quickly and that it wasn't actually even painful - a bit uncomfortable and they felt a bit gritty for a day or two, but I can remember declining painkillers as soon as I woke up :)

So am I doing the right thing going to optician first?
Or should it be GP?
Thank you for your replies

Hi brightest, it probably doesn't make a huge difference ,now that your appt is quite soon.

If you can , ask the optician to make a direct referral to orthoptist, and see if they will bypass the GP.

Will make it quicker.

Also make sure the optician uses dilating drops to check for a need for glasses.

Thank you twilight

Just back from the opticians. Her eyes are healthy but there is a definite squint. Optician has referred her to to hospital, but said she will most likely just have a patch on the good eye. No need for glasses.
Thank you everyone for you reassurance

Glad her eyes are healthy.

There are lots of quite nice patches around these days too, so she shouldn't be too bad with them. The patches fix the squint for the majority of kids so it's hopeful she won't have to have the squint op. It'll be a case of waiting and seeing.

That's good, hope theta china goes ok if necessary.

Glad her eyesight is ok.