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Original poster

DS1 EYE TEST - STINGING DROPS?

23 replies

Merlin · 06/03/2006 20:54

DS1 has hospital appointment next week. Have been told they put drops in that will sting a bit like getting shampoo in your eyes!!! Then he has to wait for 30 mins for them to work. Really don't see how he is going to accept this - anyone else experienced this with their DS/DD?

OP posts:
zippitippitoes · 06/03/2006 20:58

I didn't think they stung i thought they just turned the whites an eery green

Furball · 06/03/2006 20:59

Yep last year and we have to do it again next week. The problem is not so much getting the drops in but getting the second eye done after the first one stung so bad. How old is he? My ds was 3 1/2 the first time so was quite 'bribable' this time probably won't be so easy. I'm gonna go with the facts that it HAS to be done and if he is a brave boy he'll get a surprise.

Original poster
Merlin · 06/03/2006 21:02

He is 5 - I just know I will literally have to pin him down - I have a battle to get bloody Calpol down him!!!! Think I may chicken out and get DH to take him - I know I will just get upset.

OP posts:
misdee · 06/03/2006 21:07

is this the drops to get the pupils to dilate? dd3 will need them soon but she is only 1year old.

Original poster
Merlin · 06/03/2006 21:08

yes misdee they are. Can't believe they haven't invented some that don't sting FGS.

OP posts:
Original poster
Merlin · 06/03/2006 21:09

off topic I know but hows your Dh doing?

OP posts:
misdee · 06/03/2006 21:10

he is doing alright. going to see him tomorrow, minus the snotty grotty kids. hopefully he will be out thursday for a few hours at home.

Original poster
Merlin · 06/03/2006 21:12

Oh that's good to hear - have been following your story from afar and just think you are one strong person. Hope you have a nice time with him on Thurs.

OP posts:
sobernow · 06/03/2006 21:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MarsOnLife · 06/03/2006 21:13

I thought that they had changed the drops.

DS1 ate his way through an entire pack of jaffa cakes. The hardest bit is getting the drop in the second eye.

Lots of bribery and love is all that I can recommend. Had to go through it with DS1 and DD1. The optician sent them to the hospital to have it done so that they wouldn't be scared of coming to see her for their annual eye exams.

sparklymieow · 06/03/2006 22:08

my Ds and dd1 have to have these drops yearly, DS hates them, and last time they did the eye check without the drops. DD1 has been wearing glasses since she was 4 months old and has had the drops lots, she is ok with them. ds said that they really sting. I have to hold them down and just let the nurse do it. Make sure you don't let him play outside afterward as the pupils will be dilated and it can be harmful

Mistymoo · 06/03/2006 22:12

One thing you have to be prepared for as well is if it is a sunny day because the pupils take a long time to go back to there proper size and so bright light can hurt them.

My ds found this particularly hard and had difficulty walking back to the car because he couldn't see where he was going.

sparklymieow · 06/03/2006 22:15

dd2 is being referred to the hospital for a full eye check, I already know she is longsighted (like DS and DD1) so am prepping myself ready for the drops for her now.

misdee · 06/03/2006 22:17

so i'll be needing the sunshade for dd3 buggy afterwards?

sparklymieow · 06/03/2006 22:17

yes misdee,

Mistymoo · 06/03/2006 22:19

He did have his drops done in the summer so you may be alright with your dd.

My dd didn't seem too bothered by the sun coming to think of it and she was younger than ds when she had it done.

triplethefun · 07/03/2006 21:44

My ds2 had these drops last week - did sting momentarily. Hopefully wont need them again. Ds1 used to have drops every month, he hated the nurse prising his eyes open. Moved areas and the new nurse encouraged him to close his eyes, she reckoned the drops would still work their way in - she was right! The drops still stung a little but he felt he had a little control. Good luck.

Piffle · 07/03/2006 21:47

It's not that bad really, it is an initial WTF is that un natural thing and their eyes do get sensitive
Take sunnies or a sun hat/shade for him as they stay dilated for ages and it can hurt their eyes
DD has ahd this done a number of times, shes 3 and sucks her thumb through it now.

AbbyLou · 07/03/2006 22:02

My ds is 14 months old and he had this done last week. He made absolutely no fuss at all but the Nurse told us it wouldn't hurt him. Maybe they have changed. His pupils were definitely dilated for a very long time and he was screwing his eyes up at the light when we came outside.

Sparkly, I'd love any advice about longsightedness in children. We have been told that Charlie is extremely longsoghted in his left eye and quite in his right. We had the glasses fitting on Saturday and now have to wait 2 weeks. I wondered how you got your lo to keep them on as i am dreading this. Also, as they get older do their eyes still look so magnified through the glasses. I was really surprised at this and worried he will get picked on when he's older. Thanks.

chipmonkey · 07/03/2006 22:58

i think some Ophthalmologists now use a local anaesthtetic drop first before the dilating drop is put in so one takes the sting away from the other.
Abbylou, in general, if the child notices the improvement in vision they will usually keep the glasses on, after a bit of a battle initially.
Also longsightedness, unlike shortsightedness, tends to improve as the child gets older so less magnification as time goes on.

scully · 06/03/2007 00:28

I'm in Brisbane, but assuming they use similar techniques to UK. Took dd2 (14mths) to an opthamologist on Friday and she is very long sighted in both eyes, and is using only her left eye for sight, with her right eye turned in all the time. The doctor gave her two lots of drops, he said the first lot might sting a little, and the 2nd lot would be ok and we had to wait about half an hour inbetween. dd2's only main complaint was being kept still for long enough to get the drops in her eyes, otherwise she was ok.
We now have atrophine drops to put in her good eye once a day for a month, to blur the vision in that eye to try and force her right eye to start working again. We go back to the specialist in 6wks time and he'll run more tests but she will most likely need glasses and/or a patch. That should be fun

quietmouse · 06/03/2007 08:01

my dd had these yesterday. I don't know if anyone's already mentioned it (haven't read whole thread) but they can give numbing drops beforehand. Means you have to get two lots of drops into them but it makes the dilating drops sting less. Dd was a bit irritated by them as they started working and rubbed her eyes a bit but it wasn't as traumatic as last time she had them, when she wouldn't let the doctor even look at her eyes once they were in - which was why we had to go back yesterday!

Thankfully, she's fine so that's the eye hospital done with, I hope!

FromGirders · 06/03/2007 08:25

So glad I read about this, ds is going next week, i'm dreading it. Better to be prepared though!

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