Sudden turn in the eye

[Bleedinheck]

Hi hoping for some reassurance if possible.

I noticed around 2 weeks ago that my DS (just turned 2) had a turn in the eye - fairly significant even though it was only when he was tired so I’m fairly sure I hadn’t missed up to that point.

I rang the doctors and they have made a referral to paediatrics, they have said it is fairly common and it will be to do with the muscles behind the eye and can be fixed with glasses/patches/drops

I felt reassured at that point but over the last 2 weeks it has rapidly got worse and and the turn is even more prominent and all throughout the day. He has also started regularly holding his head and shouting out head as if to tell me it hurts especially when he gets upset.

Now I’m starting to panic that something else could be causing the turn in the eye. I did call the doctors again and the receptionist said she would speak to the GP and update me with whether they will need to see him but I haven’t heard back and it’s really playing on my mind

Can someone reassure me that :

A: it’s normal for a turn in the eye to come on quickly and get worse quickly too
B: that it’s unlikely that his head is anything to do with it?

Appreciate I probably sound like an overreacting mum but I appreciate any advice/experience

Phone your HV or GP .....ask for an orthotic referral

Orthoptic even

Orthotic is foot related so don't ask for that

Call your GP and ask for a referral though, to opthalmology

Not unusual for a squint to present acutely like this but the pronounced worsening over 2 weeks and apparent head pain accompanying it would worry me too OP. It may well be that the head pain is unrelated / caused by eye strain from the muscles trying to overcome the squint but I think it warrants prompt assessment to rule out anything sinister. I would be phoning gp for appointment in the morning. Failing that do you live near anywhere with a Eye Hospital that has an Eye A&E?

Thank you both. Funnily enough I’m struggling to speak to a GP at all. I spoke to a HCA who spoke to a GP and was allowed to put a paediatric referral in but not before she asked me to also call my health visitor. From my understanding the health visitor has put a referral in to ophthalmology both apparently have quite a wait time as non urgent appointments have a backlog

I think I’ll call again in the morning and try to be more forceful about getting an actual appointment but they seem to be like gold dust in our area failing that I’ll check where our nearest Eye hospital is as I am just going to panic myself otherwise

You can walk straight into your high street optician and ask their advice. They can refer you to AandE.
My optician saw me the same day I rang him and sent me to Moorfields with a letter.

I second going to the optician, I had issues with my eyes and they didn’t know if it was the eyes or the brain, I was sent to the hospital for checks the next day and they ruled out it being my brain causing the issues so definitely worth going

Thank you, I shall pop him into the opticians