My child gone cross eyed from watching iPad

[Beemommy]

My cute little boy who just has turned 2 years old two weeks ago has gone cross eyed literally overnight... Now every time I look at his pretty little face and see his eyes crossing I feel extremely guilty and that I failed as a parent...Everytime I look at him I want to cry.. and we didn't even get his glasses yet...
We took him to the doctor today and he said that he has no major vision issues and the reason for the squint is unknown but when I asked if it maybe from iPad he said that definitely yes... he prescribed the patch and the glasses and said to give it a try for 2 months and if he doesn't improve he will need surgery.
Is there any chance for improvement? Anything else that can be done?
Any support is appreciated as I'm so devastated...

Hi op, you are likely to see the squint for a while after the patch comes off, squints will often get bigger the more the eyes are what we call dissociated (that just means when one eye is covered) as the vision improves in the weaker eye you might start to notice the squint appearing in the previously stronger eye, but you do not want the squint to permanently change to the other eye as this eye could then become lazy. With the glasses children who are long sighted need to do extra focussing (accommodation) to see clearly before they have their glasses so once they have glasses their eyes need to stop the extra focussing to allow them to see clearly with the glasses on. As they are used to doing the extra focussing sometimes they don’t initially feel any benefit from their glasses as they continue to over focus and their glasses actually make their vision blurred initially. If he is taking his glasses off a lot you could try wearing them for all close activities at first eg ipad, mealtimes , reading and build up to full time wear. ( to my fellow orthoptist hello it’s Cornelius with a name change)

Hello
I read your message and looks like you are a specialist. Please if you could give me some advice?!
My 3 and 3 mths daughter,diagnosed refractive -accommodative-estropia( inwards) last week with glasses now +4 both eyes
My questions
1, as it’s only 2nd day on her glasses she still turns in sometimes not always , is this normal ?
2,will her squint be fixed ? So doesn’t her longsightedness. Lots of people saying if they start to have glasses at a very early age, they will have it for lifetime as they will never out grow it . Is this true ? ( her daughter saids she will need until age of 8 and see if she needs it for school afterwards )
My concern is , even if she is not turnin but eye will change shape if she wears glasses from now till 8 .
Any chance her squint will fixed within a year and doesn’t need glasses , leave the longsightedness to improve by itself .
Sorry not sure if my question make any sense to you .
Simply to say is I know she has to has glasses now . Any chance she will get ride of it earlier than 8 year old and doesn’t has squint again .
Thank you very much !

Hi Beemommy,
I found this thread through a google search this morning. I know it is about 5 years old but I’m hoping you still use this site.

I just wanted to ask how the outcome has been for your little boy?

Your original thread 100% describes what I am going through now with my 2yr old girl.. and just like you I thought it was due to use of iPad and i have been beating myself up all week and crying over feeling like I failed my daughter.

We are waiting to hear back about an appointment with the ophthalmologist.

For my daughter it literally appeared over night. Intermittent between both eyes (right eye more so) not all the time, just sometimes when looking at something further away or watching the tv and especially when waking up in the morning. We also have banned the iPad for the past week in fear of it becoming worse or a pupil becoming stuck inwards.

Again I know it’s been 5 years but really hoping to hear your experience and outcome. I am so worried and the waiting game sucks :(

Hi 👋🏻 I have just seen your message here and thought will still reply…
My boy is 8 years old now and have been wearing glasses ever since.
We did have a surgery at around 3 years old and his eyes were straight for about a month but after that the squint was back and so were his glasses. The doctor said that in his age the muscles are flexible so that is why squint will be coming back but as long as he doesn’t squint with glasses on it is fine.
His vision has never improved and neither the squint. He literally can’t even stay 5 minutes without the glasses because the squinting making him dizzy and double visioned.
Hope it all works out for you 🤗