Squint surgery - child

[littlelots123]

Had anyone’s child had squint surgery? My 3 year old is having it done and I’m so nervous.
Has anyone else experienced this, and can tell me what to expect on the day/ days after for recovery (the surgeon has told me) but I’m just trying to prepare myself and my daughter! 😔

Hiya. My son had this done when he was 7. He is now 14 and eye is still perfectly straight. We went into hospital first thing in the morning and he went down for surgery about 8am. Was in surgery for I think about an hour and a half. He had to eat and drink and have his obs done for a few hours after but was home that eve by 7pm. Be prepared for how sore and bloodshot the eye will be the next day as it doesn’t look very nice but goes down quite quickly. He has a couple of days of not wanting to do much but then was back to his normal self. He had 10 days off of school. Hope it all goes ok for your little one

Yes! My son had his done when he was 5. Absolutely revolutionary.

Hated the eye drops. Bloodshot for a few days. Completely back to normal after about 10 days.

Not my child but me! I had it done when I was around 10 around 20 years ago!
honestly it was fine, I went in the morning, I remember the surgeons being lovely, and I was discharged that evening back home. Family all came to visit and made a big fuss.

it may be different now but I was sent home with an eye ointment which had to be applied before bed and basically glued my eyes closed, couldn’t open them in the morning till my mum had bathed them in warm water. I was quite sensitive to sunlight and wore sunglasses for around a week and my eyes did look horrible bloodshot and yellow for a similar duration but I don’t recall being in a lot of pain. I then wore glasses for a further 2 years before being told they were no longer needed and even now the surgery has held up, no revisions required and my vision is better than 20/20.

again could be different but they used dissolving stitches behind my eye so no issues there.

hope it goes well!

Hi- had it done 60 years ago; it’s still perfectly straight and my strongest eye!

I'm another who had this done as a child 40 odd years ago. I would have been around 4 years old. I remember having to wear eye patches to strengthen the eye but I can't remember if that was before or after the op.

My eyesight is still perfect. "Better than 20/20 vision" at my last eye test according to my optician.

My dd had it around age 4. The worst bit was putting drops in for a week or so afterwards.

My ds 6 is currently 5 weeks post op
The nurses were amazing with him to the point he was too distracted to notice when he was put to sleep ( he had numbing cream on his hand) His eye looked sore and very red. Unfortunately he still needs the eyedrops and his eye had a overcorrection but the doctor doesn't seem too worried as says there is every chance his eye will get better on its own. So some complications but he's absolutely fine.

My dad had it done 60 years ago and his optician is amazed that he can barely see the scars and his eye sight is consistent with his age. For this era of treatment this isn't typical and he's been told he must have had a very good surgeon. Methods have greatly improved since then!

I’m another who had it done as a child 40 years ago. I remember being very sore immediately afterwards and I had to have eye drops for a while. My eyes are now perfectly straight. I can’t do ‘magic eye’ pictures or use a microscope but apart from that I’m fine.

I had it done when I was 4 40 years ago. I know it’s a long time ago but I was fine and still am!

Why was i never offered this?! Good look to your child OP!

DS had it aged 7 about 15 years ago. had it done in half term and was back at school the next week.

As a parent my only tip would be that it initially looks like they are crying blood. They are not, it’s just that blood taints tears very easily so it can look like it. I was initially shocked by this as no one had warned me.

Recovery was very straightforward and it was a great relief to get rid of the eye patches.

That’s a worry of mine. Whenever she needs drops before her eye test, I take her early to the hospital and they do it. It takes 2 of us to hold her down and a 3rd put the dips in, she screams the hospital down. Any tips on getting the drops in at home?

I didn’t have drops, only an ointment at night. Not sure if that’s an option and/or easier?

Is your eye still wandering? I had this done as a child and then again in my mid 30’s. I’m now 55, it’s never too late.

My dd had it done at 3 I can’t remember much about it but I think she had a short amount of time off nursery after.
When she was 18 it came back so she had it done again. Very straightforward and easy.

@Allthegoodhorses sorry to derail the thread, but what is the surgery like as an adult? I didn’t have it as a child, but I am trying to be referred for surgery now.

@NeonRiver sorry for the late reply to this. Admittedly my surgery was 20 years ago. I know it was a day time operation and I went home that day (outpatient?). They adjust the muscles, I know for mine they over corrected, I really panicked but over a period of about two weeks it settles so the eye is straight. It was sore and I was very bruised but I don’t remember it being horrific. I think I wore a patch for a few days. It was far far better than previously as my eye was really wandering.

DS aged 8 has just had one of his eyes done. Still recovering but bouncing back fairly quick from the surgery. The eye is gradually opening day by day. He enjoys the cooled boiled water being used to bathe the affected eye. And he is okay about the chloramphenicol being applied 3x daily as prescribed by opthamologist. Yet to see the final result of the surgery but will report back in the coming days if my posting is helpful to any other parents out there considering this or their child is considering it themselves (as DS requested the surgery himself).

Yes, he was a morning list patient. We were admitted onto the ward for 7.45am and surgery took place 10.30/11am and home 5pm. Day surgery.