Complicated vision question for a toddler with glasses

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Toddlers

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amother

Firebrick

Mon, Jul 16 2018, 8:27 pm

My 2 yr old has glasses since he was 12 months old. He’s been having regular eye checkups with an ophthalmologist.
At his last checkup the dr said he’s not using both eyes together.
His eyes cross or wander or whatever you call it. His eyes go up or down or out or in. When he’s wearing the glasses they are mostly ok.
Another thing I’ve noticed is that he cannot track things moving. I’ll move an object right to left or up and down and he won’t follow it.

I asked my dr if there is anything to do and he said nothing for now but probably surgery later on.

Does anyone have experience with this?
When I asked if vision therapy would help he said he didn’t know.

It really bothers me that my child can’t track things and I don’t understand why he can’t and if it’s related to his eyes crossing or just the fact he has a prescription or what.

I’m very worried. Has anyone gone through this? And what helped?

amother

Papaya

Mon, Jul 16 2018, 8:34 pm

my dd ended up getting surgery 2x when she was around 2 and then vision therapy around 6.
We had her evaluated for vision therapy from before her first surgery but was told she wasn't a candidate yet, her eye turn was too bad. It doesn't hurt to get a second opinion.

amother

Ginger

Mon, Jul 16 2018, 8:41 pm

Have him evaluated by a developmental optometrist. They specialize in these things.

amother

Cyan

Mon, Jul 16 2018, 8:42 pm

Please get a second opinion. There is treatment available.

amother

Taupe

Mon, Jul 16 2018, 8:46 pm

Did the doctor mention to place a patch on the good eye? Like this the kid is forced to use the lazy eye more thus strengthening it.
Definitely go for a second opinion. There's treatment for this at 2.

amother

Ruby

Mon, Jul 16 2018, 8:52 pm

I personally had 3 ops for this and patching (as in a patch over one eye, not spanking lol) and eye exercises. I think my parents believe the surgery helped most. This was 45 years ago I'm sure they have even better stuff now.

1091

Mon, Jul 16 2018, 9:30 pm

I did the surgery in my early 20s. My mother was too scared to do when I was younger. Best thing I ever did.

I remember being told that exercises wouldn’t help. I don’t know why I never had a patch.

amother

Firebrick

Mon, Jul 16 2018, 9:57 pm

Thanks for all responses.
Both eyes are pretty equal in vision strength so patching wouldn’t help.
Those who had eyes wandering: was not being able to track things part of that? Or is that a separate issue?
His eyes are fine not crossing 90% of the time when he’s wearing glasses.

amother

Babyblue

Mon, Jul 16 2018, 10:05 pm

Ok ill share my experience with my toddlers eyes crossing in out ...basically my toddler didnt use her eyes together.. so the opthamologist said glasses may fix the problem but after 6 months she did surgery bec her eyes were not fixed with glasses

It is called strabismis(what my child had) but my child didnt have problems with tracking. but its intetesting that the eyes do well with glasses and not without???

I do know that many times it is better to do the surgery earlier rather than later bec one of the things you said your toddler has, the eyes going out up....can cause double vision etc. So I would ask this dr what the diagnosis is and consider surgery although there are risks with surgery.

amother

Taupe

Mon, Jul 16 2018, 10:25 pm

An eye patch is not necessarily for vision. It's to strengthen the use of the eye. But if both eyes are equal "lazy" than a patch wouldn't help. Surgery might be the only option but you should go for a second opinion.

amother

Firebrick

Mon, Jul 16 2018, 11:16 pm

I think I will go for a second opinion.

Is 2.5 too young for vision therapy? Are there any exercises I can do with him on my own?
I just want to help him but I don’t know how.

I think he might also have trouble changing focus from far to near.

Is the focusing and tracking something that is fixed through surgery or is surgery really only for the crossing?

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