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Children's health

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Original poster

Eye patch (5 year old DD)

19 replies

Lollypalooza · 31/08/2019 07:38

Hi,

Following a check up at paediatric ophthalmology this week, my 5yo DD will be wearing an eye patch. It is the fabric type that loops over her glasses. The patch covers her good eye (in which she is slightly long-sighted but has very good vision) leaving her with her weak eye (in which she is very long sighted, has a squint/lazy eye and can’t see very well).

She should wear the patch 3-6 hours a day and the morning is apparently the best time. So she will be wearing it to school. She’s about to start Year 1.

Concerns I have;

Social- she’s quite a quiet, unassuming little thing who is keen to please and Just wants to get on with things, I don’t think she’ll like the idea of standing out from the crowd, being different and having others coming up to her saying “what’s that?” (She was already the only one in Reception with glasses, which a few children commented on but glasses are more in the realm of a child’s normal experience than a patch).

Academic- she’s bright, likes school and is keen to do well. She’s going to be wearing the patch in the mornings when they’ll be doing their maths and English- flash cards of words and letters, looking at the whiteboard, doing their reading books and so on. She really can’t see well out of the poor eye (when she’s had the patch on so far she’s been trying to peer over the top of her glasses to see over the patch). Obviously I want her to have the best chance to improve her eyesight but I don’t want her learning to suffer.

Does anyone have any experience to share? If your DC had a patch, how it affected them, how it improved their sight, whether they got on ok at school with it? I’m wondering if I should post a photo and a message on our class parents (private) Facebook page explaining about it so if other DCs have questions they can be answered. I’ll obviously need to speak to the teacher.

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Icedlatte · 31/08/2019 07:50

Hi Lolly,my DS is the same age and has a patch for a few hours a day too.

His classmates are totally unphased! In fact about 9 months after starting his another classmate needed them, and she was so excited to have patches like ds!

The teachers have seen it many times, as it's very common amongst kids this age. They need to know when to take the patch off, but other than that they don't really need to give it a second thought.

I think a message on the parents group would be fine if it makes you feel better, but surely any adult who sees a child with a patch will just think 'that child has a weak eye and is having patches to make it better.' what else is there to think or say?

I mean this very gently, as Ive been there and I know how worrying it is, but I do think you are overthinking it all. It's very common, and needn't be a problem for the kids at all.

Icedlatte · 31/08/2019 07:53

Ps of course every child is different my since you asked about sight improvement, my DS has now almost stopped needing the patch, he's just doing an hour or so a day to maintain the improvement and we expect the DR to say he can stop all together (but still wear glasses) at his next appointment. So it'll all be done within about a year

opalescent · 31/08/2019 07:55

My 6 year old ds has been patched on and off for a couple of years. Honestly, it just doesn't bother him or anyone else.

As pp mentioned, it's very very common- almost every reception/ year 1 class has a child being patched.

She'll be absolutely fine I promise 😊.

Original poster

Lollypalooza · 31/08/2019 08:00

Thank you both for your replies Believe it or not I am actually a teacher myself! I haven’t taught a child with a patch before though, although I can imagine if I did get one, how I would make sure the child was comfortable and happy. The teacher DD has is very experienced.

We only got the patch on Thursday. She is also getting a stronger prescription in her glasses. We went to a birthday party yesterday where she saw many of her classmates again after the six week break. She asked to bring the patch and then asked for it on and off throughout the party- must’ve been 8 or 9 times on and off over two hours! A few children did go over and have a look and ask about it.

OP posts:

Icedlatte · 31/08/2019 08:04

Aah sounds like she was quite keen to show it off then, which is great!

Nothing wrong with children asking about it, they're curious but not judgemental - the beauty of 5 year olds!

wornoutboots · 31/08/2019 08:20

My son had it from the start of year 1 (last year) the other kids though the looked like a pirate and were jealous but within a week it was a non-issue. He had the type that look like s
plasters rather than an on-the-glasses ones so no peering. They sell them on amazon, but ask at the next pathology appointment as his came from them rather than buying! They have different designs, so we made a thing of choosing the day's patch. (Ours were called "ortopad" and came from the hospital so we didn't buy them but the brand is on amazon) . And when we had to change him to the on-the-glasses ones due to him having sensitive skin ophthalmologist said that was fine, so it should be fine for you to go the other way.

It does work, his eyes now point in the same direction and while he will always need glasses his lazy she has caught up. He has now stopper wearing tbem, and unless his eye has become lazy again his next appointment will be his last.

You will need to mention it to the teacher, and the school office (I had to fill in a form for their records)

The ophthalmologists told us that it's better if it's worn for when he's supposed to be concentrating so we put it on an hour before school in the morning and h is teacher reminded him to take it off just before lunch.

wornoutboots · 31/08/2019 08:22

Agh! Opthamology, not pathology!

Luaa · 31/08/2019 08:25

My dd had a patch, she started wearing it before she started school and had to continue until about year 2 I think. She now has pretty good eyesight. She actually hasn't worn her glasses all summer holidays. She really should, but it's a struggle to get her to when she can see so well.

I don't think she ever got teased for it. There was one other child at school with a patch, but not in her class. She had the fabric one for a bit and the stick on ones for a bit.

frogsarejumpy · 31/08/2019 08:29

Hi, ds had this from age 2 ( nightmare at that age!!) but reception kids fine with it, he had cool patterned ones and they do stickers to customise and everything! I would definitely do it for as long as you can. Ds has very poor eyesight in one eye despite patching 4 hours a day until 7. It’s a worry as would struggle enormously if good eye was damaged in any way.
I would speak with teacher re learning concerns, perhaps wear it after English& maths? Morning is usually just best as they are less tired. Patching is tiring as the poor eye and brain have to work a lot harder. At home we had a patch box with interesting toys and puzzles to only use when patch was on, it helped as he was keen to play with them!

confusednorthner · 31/08/2019 08:39

I work in reception/ training 1 and we've had several children with patches. Honestly the others don't bat a eyelid at them.

confusednorthner · 31/08/2019 08:39

No idea how yr 1 became training!

vivavivaviva · 31/08/2019 08:40

My DD had one throughout preschool, and just starting school now has been told she no longer has to wear it. We got it on straightaway in the morning, then it was off by breaktime! The main thing I didn't like was the ridiculous gendered boxes - my DD likes football AND unicorns!

Please be encouraged, it it's used well, it can make such a huge difference. My DD's lazy eye is completely gone. She'll probably always wear glasses but I couldn't imagine her face without them now!

And the fb group sounds like a great idea, parents can explain it for your DD.

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 31/08/2019 08:44

My brother and sister both did for a lazy eye. They only wear glasses if they're doing lots of reading, while I'm very short-sighted now!

I don't think there were ever any problems at school wearing it, but we also used to play a lot of cards and draughts to get a couple of hours in at night.

Earlgreyandcake · 31/08/2019 08:46

If you don't persist with the patch the vision is unlikely to improve and if anything the happened to the good eye..... Patching will have stopped by 7 at the latest - you only have this small time frame to make an improvement

Earlgreyandcake · 31/08/2019 08:48

And please don't take it off and on - it needs to be on constantly for the time prescribed

Original poster

Lollypalooza · 31/08/2019 09:00

Thank you for all the replies.

Earlgrey Yes, I understand that. She only literally got it on Thursday and the birthday party on Saturday was her first time wearing it in front of others, so she was testing the waters and I wanted to make sure she felt comfortable. When it comes to school next week she will know it is not an “on and off” situation. She’s wearing it just now at home doing a drawing with stickers. I think she doesn’t mind it in theory- the idea of it, but what she doesn’t like it that she can’t see well. She’s asking me if the stickers are the correct way up etc, and keeps trying to peer over the top of the patch. I know it will be worth it to see an improvement!

OP posts:

Earlgreyandcake · 31/08/2019 09:07

The improvements usually come really quickly- best of luck - I know it must be a worrying time

Earlgreyandcake · 31/08/2019 09:08

And if she keeps peering over the top get the patches that go directly on the eye

perplexedagain · 31/08/2019 09:21

I would maybe speak to the optician and ask about timings for the patch and if you can split the times into a few hours at school and a few hours at home?

I thought that the patches worked best when the child was doing close work - like colouring, reading, writing etc and I wouldn't assume that they will be doing lots of this in year 1 at school. My experience has been that there is an awful lot of learning through play etc.. Maybe try and find out from the teachers what generally happens on each day so that you can judge the best time for the patch? Maybe not sure a good idea when she is doing PE for example? But check it all out with the optician first ... they won't mind you asking.

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