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Original poster

Fairly certain ds2 has a squint [sad] - who do I see, GP or optician?

31 replies

Miaou · 09/05/2008 16:40

I guess he needs referring. Argh. Just been through all this with ds1, had ds2 checked about a month ago and seemed fine. His squint has developed since then and it's noticeable (people have pointed it out). .

(Sounds pathetic but I can't remember who I go to in the first instance; seem to remember with ds1 I went to the "wrong" people first and got shoved from pillar to post to start with)

OP posts:
cmotdibbler · 09/05/2008 16:43

Go to GP or HV - they'll refer you to either the hospital or the community orthoptist.

All the best people have a squint don't you know

I've had two operations and still have prisms in my lenses now - but I have v weird eyes.

Original poster
Miaou · 09/05/2008 16:45

prisms?? impressive!

Dd1 has a squint, which I missed until she was 4, and as a result she has lost most of the vision in her right eye - hence why I'm a bit neurotic/wibbly about these things.

OP posts:
littlelamb · 09/05/2008 16:52

GP. I was sure my dd had a squint, and had been for some time before going- noticeable in photographs and people commenting on it etc. There was quite a long waiting list to see the eye specialist at the hospital but luckily I have health insurance from work so were able to get seen very quickly. They were very thorough and luckily it turns out she does not have a squint. It was the bride of her nose being quite wide-set and making it look like her eye was off centre when in fact it wasn't iyswim? Is apparently quite common. Good luck. I was really impressed at how good everyone was at the eye clinic, the ways they test childrens eyes really are clever.

TheBlonde · 09/05/2008 17:01

GP, then you go to the eye clinic at the hosp

Sooner is better as it is easier to fix when they are younger

probablyaslytherin · 09/05/2008 17:12

Miaou - I am in the same situation as your dd1. My squint wasn't corrected till I was 7 years old, because they didn't at that time (ahem! late 1950's )realise the sooner the better.

No-one told me or my parents about the sight in my 'lazy' eye and it wasn't until I was in my late teens that someone explained it to me. Because my binocular vision is poor, so also is my depth perception with the result that I'm hopeless at ball games and had a bit of difficulty at first estimating distances when driving, especially in the dark.

Don't worry too much about it. No-one knows what my eyes are like, apart from me and my optician. I am quite protective of my 'good' eye, though.

pinkyminky · 09/05/2008 17:13

GP I have what was thought to be a squint, but it's more complicated than that, and I had a few operations to sort it out. You'll need to see an orthoptician to run tests. Try not to worry, they can do amazing things.

Sidge · 09/05/2008 17:19

See the GP.

My DD (4) has a squint and we got referred to the orthoptist, and told to take her for an eye test as well. After seeing both it turned out she had a squint as well as being very short sighted. She got glasses which have helped the squint as the eyes can see better now they are working together (if that makes sense).

Joash · 09/05/2008 17:20

ALthough a long time ago, I beleive that you have to go through your GP, who will refer you to a relevant clinic. DD2 had a very noticeable squint, but luckily she grew out of it without theneed for surgery.

Original poster
Miaou · 09/05/2008 17:54

Thanks everyone. LittleLamb, ds2 had that (wide bridge making his eyes look off-set) but ds2's definitely looks like a squint. I noticed, but didn't say anything to dh and sure enough he picked up on it within a couple of days - that confirmed to me it's not just paranoia and in my imagination!

Will make a GP appointment next week - fortunately where we live there is little pressure on health services so he should get seen in a relatively short space of time.

OP posts:
pinkyminky · 09/05/2008 18:04

Joash I needed surgery because I what I have turned out to not actually be a squint.

pinkyminky · 09/05/2008 18:05

Miaou hope your lo gets sorted out soon.

lucykate · 09/05/2008 18:29

miaou, i am a squint expert!!!! , both dd and ds have eye problems, dd has very poor sight, astigmatism, a squint and has worn glasses since she was 18 months old, ds has better sight but a slight squint and also has glasses but doesn't need to wear them atm. with dd, we had no idea there was anything wrong with her eyes until one day, the squint appeared.

go to the gp, they will refer you to your nearest orthoptic clinic pretty quickly. squints are best treated young, they squint if the eye sight is unequal in each eye, the brain stops using the weaker eye, relaxes the muscles, and that is when the squint occurs. glasses equal out the eyes forcing the brain to use both.

if does need glasses, remember where to come if he has to do any patching and i'll make a boy one for him!

Original poster
Miaou · 09/05/2008 19:37

lol LK I did think of your eye patch!! thank you for the offer!

And yes I seemed to remember your ds getting glasses at six months, is that right? He looked soooo cute ... And glad to hear that it can suddenly "appear" overnight - thought I was going mad ... honestly you would think I would know about these things now but I'm terrible, I don't retain any information

Will let you know how I go on.

OP posts:
Seona1973 · 09/05/2008 19:54

My dd was referred through the hv and has worn glasses since about 18 months (now 4 1/2). She is having an op to correct the squint next month as although the sight in her weak eye has improved with patching she still squints badly even with her glasses on (is long sighted)

pinkyminky · 09/05/2008 20:18

Is she having the tendon tightened, Seona? I had this done, but I have a rare thing that isn't a squint, it's a complete absence of muscle. The surgery fixed the drift of my eye, but I also had an op to tighten the muscle in one side of my neck as I had developed a tilt to compensate for my eye. It has worked very well. I've had a successful career as an artist, so it can't have done me too much harm. My still life drawing always got the tutors puzzled though, as I can't judge distance for toffee, as I have v.poor binocular vision!

cmotdibbler · 09/05/2008 21:10

Its always nice to hear that other people had the same problem as me with ball games - it was really hard to explain to PE teachers just why I couldn't play tennis etc.

After two operations, they couldn't do anymore surgically, but I can mostly keep single vision with the prisms. Wonderfully, I recently moved, and my new optician (by complete coincidence) is a specialist in binocular vision disorders, and has really made a difference.
When I took DS to the hospital to have his eyes checked, the surgeon was trying to get me to let them have a go at my eyes again !

katch · 09/05/2008 21:18

I had the ball game thing also, but didn't realise until recently the reason. My squint was corrected at 4, but then I started school and wouldn't wear the patch. Miau, have you looked into vision therapy? I read up about it online a few months back, and the practitioners claim even adults can have lazy eyes corrected. My GP hadn't heard of it, so I sort of gave up, but it might be worth looking into for your daughter.

katch · 09/05/2008 21:18

Sorry Miaou I spelled your name wrong!

pinkyminky · 09/05/2008 21:40

cmot- every time I get my eyes tested, the optician at boots gets the students in. Last time I went to the orthoptician he showed just about everyone he could find my fascinating 'syndrome'. I'm not sure if I feel like a zoo exhibit or a celeb.
I manage ok without prisms,I couldn't get on with them. My strong eye just takes over. I have real difficulty with eye tests as a result.

Original poster
Miaou · 09/05/2008 21:48

no, not heard of vision therapy katch, will look into that. Dd1 has no binocular vision, and really struggles with ball games. I do let her teachers know but there's not much realistically that can be done (can't exactly excuse her from games )

(and don't worry about spelling my name wrong, everyone does )

I think dh would empathise with you pinky - he had shingles in his eye a few years ago and the extent of the scarring on his retina has made him a "medical celebrity" LOL

OP posts:
cmotdibbler · 09/05/2008 21:51

I have the same thing - my old optician used to greet me in the street, and told me that she'd miss the challenge of my eyes... And when I was still seeing the orthoptist (I was 18 when I had the last lot of surgery), I used to have to teach the students about squint and double vision.

My whole family have terrible eyes, and in fact my mum, dad, brother and I, all had surgery with the same consultant - but for different reasons. Apparently she was still asking after me 10 years after I stopped seeing her.

As I had late onset squint, I don't supress the vision so get double vision - so prisms are necessary. And lots of them ! At one point I had stick on Fresnel ones, and was delighted to meet someone else who had them at a uni interview.

pinkyminky · 09/05/2008 22:07

I'm so glad I don't have double vision, it must be really unpleasant.
But lol at us 'medical celebs' , Miaou

lucykate · 09/05/2008 22:20

dd has double vision without her glasses, i'd dearly love to know what she see's.

we tell her she's really lucky because when she takes her glasses off, she has 2 mummies

Piffle · 09/05/2008 22:26

as mum to a dd (5) who has an extremely complex combination of eyesight problems incl... Astigmatism, squint, severe longsightedness and bi lateral latent nystagmus ( no depth perception, v slow reactions unstable visual patterns) I would envy you your squint as that is the only part of dds issues that can be fixed relatively easily!

pinkyminky · 09/05/2008 22:48

Poor little mite!
I don't actually have a squint, it's something else, but presents a lot like a squint, which is why I posted on here.

Lucykate- I don't get double vision, unless I try to look through binocularsor try to look left without moving my head (I can't look right at all),in which case I get double plus the side of my nose. I get a completely different view of the world if I look through my 'weak' eye- everything is in the wrong place, as it has very little input in my overall vision. I could never get the parrot anywhere near the cage on those tests.