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Original poster

Anyone whose children wear an eye patch? Lazy eye etc?

20 replies

indiemummy · 29/07/2007 14:08

Hi, my dd wears an eye patch and I am setting up a UK support network and website for parents who are patching. I would love to hear from anyone going through this for any reason - amblyopia, strabismus etc. It's really tough and I don't know about you, but I haven't had any support from anyone. We were given two boxes of adhesive eye patches at the hospital and told that she should wear one for "a couple of hours a day". And that was it. Would love to hear what other parents and carers think about this. Indiemummy xxx

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 29/07/2007 14:36

oh Cod is good on this, so is (I think) Califrau

good (and not too ancient) thread here

Blondilocks · 29/07/2007 14:43

My DD used to. She was given a fabric patch with a choice of pictures - she had a fairy one. Luckily wearing it for only an hour or so meant she could wear it after school.

I don't remember being given that much info but just got on with it. Any form of info site or place where you can discuss things would be valuable I think, although no longer relevant to myself.

princessmel · 29/07/2007 14:45

I used to wear a patch after school for a few hours. My left eye was a lazy eye. It still is.

I remember a few people commenting but nothing bad. I was about 5 or 6.

Hope your dd gets on ok

PinkMartini · 29/07/2007 14:48

I used to wear a patch too, when I was about 4/5. I had a squint "removal" operation when I was about 18months I think.
Don't remember being teased but think I may have been quite a resiliant little thing in those days.

Wore NHS glasses for a while and eyes were fine all through school. Now I do so much screen work that my long sighted vision isn't great.

Good luck to your dd.

Original poster
indiemummy · 29/07/2007 15:47

thanks everyone, i know this is something you can get through, but it can be tough while it's going on, especially if you are juggling other siblings, work, school, etc. I thought it would be nice to put parents in touch with others going through the same thing. The address of the group is health.groups.yahoo.com/group/eyepatch_uk/. thanks again x

OP posts:
FluffyMummy123 · 29/07/2007 19:30

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MadEyeMisdee · 29/07/2007 19:33

dd3 isw patched for an hour or two a day. we started with soft patches, which she then refused, so now has the sticky patches, and we bribe her with stickers to keep it on.

doyouwantfrieswiththat · 29/07/2007 19:46

I had the eye patch treatment when I was about 5, would wear it for a couple of hours an evening & mum encouraged me to read while wearing it which I guess helped the exercise.

can control my lazy eye now so nobody knows it's there unless I decide to show them.

mintchips · 29/07/2007 19:51

DD2 is 3 and has been wearing patches for about 6 months and they have made a big difference to her eyes. On our last visit she was given a picture of a princess to stick her patches on after she's worn one and they build up to make her dress.

jimmyjamas · 29/07/2007 20:45

Can someone answer a question about lazy eye.
I have been told i have a lazy left eye and i wear glasses full time.

when i was told i had a lazy eye i was 23 years old and the optician told me my parents obviously didn't take me for eye checks (which they didn't) when i was a kid. However, my eye isn't turned in or my eyes don't look any different from someone who hasn't got it.

i do find it frustrating though, if someone is approaching me, although i can work out who it is, i cannot focus on them for long. its really frustrating.

sorry waffling, but wondered if those of u that posted about lazy eye, had kids with a turn in their eye or not?

MrsScavo · 29/07/2007 20:59

DS1 has a "lazy eye" that just didn't develop because it was so much weaker than his other eye.

He needed to be patched four hours a day for nearly 2 years. he is exrtreamly "willful" (ohter peoples words not mine) and pursuading him to wear the patch was probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. although I searched the net at the time,I couldn't find anything helpful, so I think setting up a support group is a fantastic idea. I had a couple of mums who who had needed to patch their DC's come up to me in the street and offer support, so I guess they realised how difficult (and lonely) patching can be.

MrsScavo · 29/07/2007 20:59

DS1 has a "lazy eye" that just didn't develop because it was so much weaker than his other eye.

He needed to be patched four hours a day for nearly 2 years. he is exrtreamly "willful" (ohter peoples words not mine) and pursuading him to wear the patch was probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. although I searched the net at the time,I couldn't find anything helpful, so I think setting up a support group is a fantastic idea. I had a couple of mums who who had needed to patch their DC's come up to me in the street and offer support, so I guess they realised how difficult (and lonely) patching can be.

lou33 · 29/07/2007 21:09

im on my second round of patching with ds2, the first time he was about 3 for 2 hours a day, now he is 6, they want him patched 6 hrs a day

he's good about it, but he's always been quite a tolerant lad, tho he cant wear teh opticlude ones, he is allergic to something in them which causes his eye to itch and get really sore in about 30 mins

lou33 · 29/07/2007 21:12

also ds2 has this

and had a squint operated on, which he still has but not as dramtically

Original poster
indiemummy · 30/07/2007 10:11

Great, I knew there would be a few people out there patching!

I am hoping my group can share tips on getting children to wear the patch, ideas for activities and things to entertain them while they are wearing it, how to cope with comments from strangers, schoolfriends etc (about wearing a patch or having an eye that turns in/out), discuss the different types of patches available, and just support each other when it's been a tough day. Hoping to set up a proper website too and going to attempt to put together something for children who wear a patch. Working on a story which parents can read to their children about a child who is patched. Any other ideas welcome! xx

OP posts:
Original poster
indiemummy · 30/07/2007 10:16

Forgot to say I hope all your children are doing OK with their various eye conditions.

Jimmyjamas, I can't really help with a definition of a lazy eye, I assume you have googled it. I found this Wikipedia entry.

Misdee, Mintchips and Lou, if you have time, you are most welcome to join my group.

Ind Xx

OP posts:
FluffyMummy123 · 30/07/2007 15:29

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FluffyMummy123 · 30/07/2007 15:29

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FluffyMummy123 · 30/07/2007 15:32

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GroaningGameGirly · 30/07/2007 15:36

Both mine had them all day for 2 years. We started with sticky patches but they didn't like them so they both chose to wear pirate patches from a fancy dress shop under their glasses instead. They were 3 and 6 when they started wearing them, and just got on with it. I guess I was just lucky. Good luck to all your LOs.

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