CM has mentioned she thinks DS has a very very mild squint in one eye

[sheeplikessleep]

I haven't noticed it. This is the first time I've even thought about his eye sight to be honest. He's just turned 2.

Should I book a Dr appointment, even if I haven't witnessed it? Do they do tests or just observe what the eye is like?

I don't know anything about this, so any information / advice would be appreciated - thank you.

You would probably be best to book him in with an optician to start with, they can check his vision and eye movements.
If he does have the beginnings of a squint then better to get it looked at as soon as possible.

My dd1's CM was the first to spot her squint, this was just before she turned 2.
There is a simple test a GP can do to check and if they are unsure they will refer to a screening clinic at the hospital.

I noticed DD's squint at 8 months - mentioned it to health visitor. She got me a referral with an orthoptist at our health centre, had 2 appointments 3 months apart as she didn't see the squint first time.

She was doing things like holding up exciting toys and watching DD track them.

We then got referred to the hospital for more "scientific" test - eye drops that dilate the pupil, so that dr can look into the eye and see what is going on.

Then few months after that another watching toys appointment at the hospital.

Apparently it is easier to test their sight once they can reliably talk about what they can see themselves - ie looking at pictures, I think it will be that sort of thing.

DD's squint is improving, so she doesn't need glasses (they thought she would) but she will continue to have check-ups until she is 5.

Definitely act as soon as possible, as it is much easier to correct these things early on.

DS developed a squint literally overnight when he was about 2.2yrs.

I'd recommend making an appointment with a good optician rather than the GP. GP will probably only refer to optician/orthoptist anyway.

Many opticians operate a kind of shared care scheme with NHS orthoptists/opthalmologists so that's usually the faster route.

DS wears glasses which are correcting the squint (while he wears them) - at one stage he was meant to wear a patch (never got him to put it on ) but luckily now doesn't need one (for now anyway)

If it is a squint, the earlier they can act on it the better.

Good luck

Yes, you must get a referral to an ophthalmologist because only an ophthalmologist can do the eye test with drops that immobilise the eyes and test properly for long sight and strabismus.

My DS squints: we went the rout of seeing the GP for a referral and then to the hospital opthamologist and orthoptist. DS wears glasses and we do an hour's patching a day which seems to be improving things.
Basically don't leave it alone, the earlier the better and (without wishing to scare you) if a squint is not treated the child can lose the sight in one eye.

agree with SG- please don't leave it; my squint was left untreated and it has led to BIG problems in adulthood

thank you so much for posting.

cm did downplay it, saying it is only occasional and very mild. just feel a bit guilty i can't see it and neither can dh. but maybe it is just starting to show. can i ask - are/were your dcs squints continuous or just show time to time?

i'll speak to the optician - i'm going into town tomorrow so will go and speak to them face-to-face and get him booked in.

thank you for posting, i'll definitely get him checked over.

I am a bit thick, what sort of problems can/does it cause?

LBAM: Basically, if a squint is untreated, it may get worse, and if it remains untreated and gets worse, the brain basically 'switches off' one eye and you lose the sight in one eye.
Mild squints are incredibly common, though, and actually pretty easy to treat: it will most likely mean glasses for a year or two and maybe some patching (covering one eye to strengthen the other).

I've not really seen it but HV mentioned she thought DD had one last time we went. I have to say I probably couldn't say hand on heart i'd know what it looks like

Initially DS's squint was only obvious when he was really tired - is still worse now when he's tired. I think that's how we spotted it, after a weekend away in Ireland and very little sleep!

Our optician did the eye drops/vision test. The opthalmologist repeated the test but it usually takes a couple of months to get a referral.

Lovebeingamummy - the affected eye will turn inwards/outwards slightly, most noticeable when looking at you or eg the TV

Squints are hereditary. I have one, that went undiagnosed by an optician, and my brain has indeed shut off one eye. Unless it is corrected in early childhood it will never be corrected. You can't tell to look at me but my depth perception is poor (can't catch balls well so career as pro basketball player sadly out).

But 100% agree that it must be an opthalmologist who sees your child at some stage in proceedings to confirm and arrange treatment. Opticians are not always good enough, although some are great. So get to the GP, get referred, and in the meantime see an optician if you want. BEcause of my squint my daughter has had one visit at the hospital clinic (too young to be definitive but looks fine) and will go back again in January to confirm.

Also, an untreated squint does not necessarily mean you lose sight in your eye. I can still see with both eyes, just not very well with one, and the other eye has compensated.. I don't even need to wear glasses although it would be very tricky if my sight in my good eye was compromised.

I only noticed dd's squint at 18 months and she ended up being long sighted and wore glasses from then (and still does at age 6). I was referred, via the health visitor, to the orthoptist at the local hospital. They used different sized shadow pictures to check the eyesight and did the drops test to check for the prescription. Now she is 6 she has started going to the optician for her appointments although we have follow up ones at the hospital still.

I can see with both eyes, but until I had a lot of treatment at the eye hospital in my 30s I could only use one eye at a time, which led to lots of headaches and visual disturbances. Because I never had any experience of using both eyes, my ability to estimate distance is very poor and I daren't try for a driving licence (have had enough near misses walking and bike riding). Also, even with glasses that enable me to use both eyes, I tend not to register anything that happens on my right side, so I would be a danger to other people in traffic.

My GP said he thought dd had a squint at her 9 month check. We had never noticed it either. She saw an opthamologist the previous week, and he declared her eyes to be perfectly normal. She has a wide bridge though, which can sometimes give an eye the appearance of a squint.

My Dd has quite a large bridge too, and I think what has been described is wat she looks like when she's poorly.

Will have a think about whether to make an appt or just to mention at next visit.