DS been referred to hospital any opticians?

[CrawlingInMySkin]

DS age 5 has been referred to the hospital, he has worn glasses for a while, but on his last appointment I was told he is virtually blind. The thing is if he walks in a room without his glasses and I am sat the other side of the room eating chocolate he soon spots it so how can he be nearly blind?

His prescription is Right eye SPH +3 CYC -2.75 AXL 100

left is SPH +3 CYC -3 AXL 170

I asked and was told that he is short sited horizontally and long sited vertically. But even though I asked I didn't take much in I really am scared and I dont understand what is wrong can someone help explain please? sorry if this is a really stupid question and the answer is actually easy.

Have also posted this in chat so I have a good chance of finding a answer.

Hiya CIMS :). Not an optician unfortunately but just wanted to reassure you as I too have astigmatism!

I have checked your DS's prescriptions on www.eyeprescription.com and it's come up with the following

Right Eye:

There is moderate hyperopia(farsightedness) combined with moderate astigmatism .
Farsighted means that the far vision is better than the near vision which is more blurred. Farsightedness is often due to the eye being shorter than the average eye (24 mm). Sometimes it is because the cornea is less curved than usual; sometimes it is both.
Astigmatism means that images from distant objects, entering the eye, are not focused at the same focal point. The astigmatism is at an axis of 100 degrees. According to your prescription, the focal points are both destined to fall behind the retina, instead of on the retina (where a normal image would be destined to focus) Most astigmatism occurs because the cornea is more curved in one direction than in the other, in the manner of a football or a teaspoon. Sometimes astigmatism is due to the crystalline lens inside of the eye being irregularly shaped.

Methods of correction:
Common ways of correcting for refractive errors such as this include single vision glasses, and contact lenses . LASIK, epi-LASIK and PRK are sometimes used.

Left Eye :

You have simple hyperopic (farsighted) astigmatism with a moderate amount of astigmatism.
Farsighted means that the far vision is better than the near vision.
Astigmatism means that images entering the eye are not focused at the same point in different axes.
In this case the vision is in proper focus in one axis but is farsighted at the other axis (destined to be in focus behind the eye). The astigmatism is at an axis of 170 degrees. Most commonly this is because the cornea is more curved in one direction similar to the curve of a football or a teaspoon.

Methods of correction:
Common ways of correcting for refractive errors such as this include single vision glasses, and contact lenses. LASIK, epi-LASIK and PRK are sometimes used.

I think "virtually blind" is a bit over the top . I suffer with quite strong astigmatism and longsightedness in my left eye, its not easy to read text with my right eye covered and I get headaches if I've been on the laptop too long or watching TV in the dark. But I'm certainly not virtually blind in it and I don't think your son will be either for having it in both eyes!

Astigmatism can be treated with glasses or contact lenses if suitable, my glasses used to be awful, I had one lense loads thicker than the other! But thankfully in today's age they can thin the lenses down so it's hardly noticeable. Don't worry. :)

Oh, and I get headaches because I don't wear glasses so my right eye gets tired quite easily! .

Thanks Karia that is a great explanation. You ahve really helped to put my mind at rest. He has been without glasses for a week because of his sister breaking them and fell asleep in class, he also looked pale and moaned of a headache so all you have said makes perfect sence thanks you

I'm so glad you feel better, what a bloody stupid thing to say, that he's virtually blind. That would send anybody in to a panic! Your opticians don't sound very helpful or tactful! Might be worth taking him somewhere else in future

I am sure the hospital visit is to see what further treatment is available to him, there are surgical and non surgical options these days, none of that when I were a lass! I forgot to point out though that astigmatism doesn't normally get worse, it doesn't get better but it doesn't get worse. Mine's been the same for as long as I can remember.

I'd be interested to know what treatment he is offered, I didn't know you could have lasik etc until I checked his prescription, last time I had checked laser surgery wasn't suitable for astigmatism

laser eye surgery it says there you can have it, I will let you know what treatment he is offered Karia but as I am sure you know hospital appointment often take a long time to come through.