btdt, kids in glasses for lazy eye

[melrose7]

we took DD2 to the eye doctor just less than 2 weeks ago after seeing one of her eyes start to wander inwards. DH had lazy eye as a kid so we knew to be on the lookout for this. She ended up being farsighted in both eyes and that caused her right eye to look inward. So we got her glasses right away and they came in today. she did great wearing them and only took them off a couple times throughout the day. But when she did have them on her eye was always looking inward, more than ususal. DH is of course leaving for hunting tomorrow but he wants me to call the eye doctor tomorrow to see what she says. She goes back the 2nd week of december though. I don't know if her eye wandering is her getting use to the glasses or if it is the wrong prescription.

[squimp]

What was the diagnosis? Was it lazy eye or something else? I found this website helpful in understanding my DD's condition.

http://www.strabismus.org/all_about_strabismus.html

My daughter crosses her eyes (not lazy eye) and the glasses keep her from crossing - this condition is called accomodative estropia and is common in kids. She is also farsighted in both eyes. I don't know that much about lazy eye, but this website indicates that glasses do not correct lazy eye (ambylopia).

I would call your ped opth or opth and let them know what is going on - they may be able to get you in sooner than Dec 2. Good luck.

[melrose7]

Thanks for the link. You are right, I think they are trying to stop her from getting lazy eye, and right now she is far sighted in both eyes and had stabismus. I know she wanted to see her in her glasses and see how it helped before she would decide if we needed to patch her eye, and before we would resort to surgery. But if the eye is wandering more with the glasses it makes me think they aren't working. But maybe she needs time to get use to them. Regardless I'll call today since we don't go in until dec 7.

[ohiomom1121]

DD was prescribed glasses for the accomodative esotropia as well. We had noticed her right eye wandering in when she was watching tv or trying to focus on something. They put her in glasses with a really mild prescription which prevented the eye from turning for a while, then maybe a year later they had to bump up the prescription to get it to stop. The eyes always tested about the same so it was not technically a lazy eye. Then the right eye started testing much worse and we had to start patching 2 hours a day. Now the eyes are back to testing similar, but they're having her patch for a while to make sure it doesn't go back. Her doc seems to think this will work and surgery won't be necessary. Good luck, it's a frustrating process.

We found that plastic frame glasses work much better for DD...we originally got 2 pairs with metal frames and she was constantly taking them off saying she needed a break. When we upgraded her prescription, it was cheaper to get 2 new pairs of glasses and she picked out one plastic pair and one metal. After trying the plastic she refused to wear the metal so we exchanged them. Turns out the nose pieces really bothered her but she was too little to express that to us.

If you end up needing to patch, I found a great site online on how to make them out of felt. I made DD one that is adorable and she doesn't mind wearing it...well, not TOO much!!!

[spanannie]

AFAIK patching is the only thing that will correct the lazy eye.

My daughter has amblyopia + astigmatism. They do need glasses for the amblyopia, but the eye will never get strengthened w/o patching. Patching is a real fight for us, even with the cute patches I've bought (patchpals.com)

She's going to do some vision therapy, but they want her eye stronger first (I think not more than a 2 line gap between the lines she can read on an eye chart). We were just seeing a pedi. opthamologist, but her teacher thinks that this effecting her work at school (K), so we're seeing a developmental optometrist.

I'm surprised they haven't recommended patching to you at this point. My daughter has the condition, but her eye does not turn whatsoever and they've recommended the patch (strongly) since her 2nd eye appt. a year ago.

Good luck! We are wading through this ourselves right now!

[sansdieu]

Patching didn't work for us; if anything, it seemingly made things worse (the other eye started "wandering" too, although that is not necessarily due to eye patch). DD has amblyopia too -- and she's pretty far-sighted, and I think the lazy eye will not get better unless the underlying problem (far-sightedness) is corrected.

Our ped. ophthalmologist warned us against getting glasses with nose pieces -- but DD doesn't have much of a bridge, so we ended up getting them anyway. She hasn't worn them yet; hopefully, I can figure out how to get her used to them.

Blurring eye drops are another option for lazy eye.

Any good kids' book recommendations with protagonists in glasses?

[spanannie]

Hmmm . . . it seems like I was told the opposite . . . that DD couldn't improve the vision w/o patching. I'm so confused by all of this anyhow . . .

Why did they not want you to buy glasses w/ nose pieces? This new doctor said the same thing. We've done fine with the glasses with the nose pieces.

Both doctors we're interested in giving her blurring eye drops . . . don't know why. DD has a friend with the same condition and he used the drops. I think they just believe patching is the most effective method. Ugh.


Patching didn't work for us; if anything, it seemingly made things worse (the other eye started "wandering" too, although that is not necessarily due to eye patch). DD has amblyopia too -- and she's pretty far-sighted, and I think the lazy eye will not get better unless the underlying problem (far-sightedness) is corrected.

Our ped. ophthalmologist warned us against getting glasses with nose pieces -- but DD doesn't have much of a bridge, so we ended up getting them anyway. She hasn't worn them yet; hopefully, I can figure out how to get her used to them.

Blurring eye drops are another option for lazy eye.

Any good kids' book recommendations with protagonists in glasses?

[sansdieu]

Hmmm . . . it seems like I was told the opposite . . . that DD couldn't improve the vision w/o patching. I'm so confused by all of this anyhow . . .

Why did they not want you to buy glasses w/ nose pieces? This new doctor said the same thing. We've done fine with the glasses with the nose pieces.

Both doctors we're interested in giving her blurring eye drops . . . don't know why. DD has a friend with the same condition and he used the drops. I think they just believe patching is the most effective method. Ugh.

I guess they didn't want the nose pieces because kids would find them bothersome. We'll find out soon, I guess (this is going to be one costly mistake, let me tell you).

The drops -- again, probably wouldn't work so well on a toddler. I imagine it must drive them mad!

Again, I can't be 100% certain that patching caused DD's eyes to get worse -- it could just be part of the way her condition is progressing. But we did notice that after patching, the other, stronger, eye would appear to be not quite so strong (and the Doc confirmed it too). By the way, did you do patching AND glasses? or just patching?

The whole thing is very frustrating. It's not in our family history; it clearly affects her fine motor development, and even though they keep saying "it's nothing you did", I keep blaming myself (for being an older mother, for not noticing it sooner, etc.)

[NewfieNat]

DS had amblyopia. He patched/wore glasses for two years without issues. Now, DD has amblyopia caused by uveitis/farsightedness/astigmatism and it's a totally different story. She wouldn't patch at all. Ped opth said to try atropine drops. It's been about a month now, we'll see what he has to say next week. She doesn't mind them at all, but had been using them in the opposite eye all summer so was used to not seeing well.

We have trouble finding frames that will stay on her bridge. Julbo makes a Heroes line which look fantastic. http://www.julbo-eyewear.com/en/Julbo_Heroes/Products.html

The Lazy model is designed for lazy eye. I can't find a dealer around here so I'm seriously considering importing a pair of Salsa frames.

www.littlefoureyes.com is a great resource. They have a list of book recs. It's not listed there but we like Bears New Glasses by Marsha White.

Like a PP, we made DD a felt patch. She liked it more than the others but still didn't do well enough to continue.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a384/rdmoore/IMG_7173.jpg

[HIU8]

DN has glasses for accomodative esotropia. She also does a patch. She has been in the glasses since she was around 2 1/2 (she is 3 1/2 now). It took about 7 or 8 different prescriptions to finally get the right strength for her--then her eyes changed again. She goes to Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute every 6 weeks to be checked.I know nothing about the drops as DN doesn't use them. However she always needs drops to see the eye doctor--the ones that take 4 days to work (she can't do the ones they do in the office--she doesn't like the way her vision blurs so quickly).

[sansdieu]

DS had amblyopia. He patched/wore glasses for two years without issues. Now, DD has amblyopia caused by uveitis/farsightedness/astigmatism and it's a totally different story. She wouldn't patch at all. Ped opth said to try atropine drops. It's been about a month now, we'll see what he has to say next week. She doesn't mind them at all, but had been using them in the opposite eye all summer so was used to not seeing well.

We have trouble finding frames that will stay on her bridge. Julbo makes a Heroes line which look fantastic. http://www.julbo-eyewear.com/en/Julbo_Heroes/Products.html

The Lazy model is designed for lazy eye. I can't find a dealer around here so I'm seriously considering importing a pair of Salsa frames.

www.littlefoureyes.com is a great resource. They have a list of book recs. It's not listed there but we like Bears New Glasses by Marsha White.

Like a PP, we made DD a felt patch. She liked it more than the others but still didn't do well enough to continue.



Thank you for posting, especially the picture (I just couldn't figure out the felt patch -- we used the regular 3m ones). Great site, too!

[melrose7]

Thanks for all the information. She did good today with the glasses and her eye didn't wander as much so I think she just needed to get use to it. I didn't even call the doctor since I didn't see it much at all. Glad to know there is the option of a fabric patch if we need to go that route. I knew of the other ones but didn't know we had more options if needed. We ended up getting the plastic frames (Pez) with no bridge and so far so good. They didn't tell me anything about such a good warranty though. They do leave a little red mark on her nose but I figure that would happen with any bridge too.

[NewfieNat]

A & A Optical makes Pez. Here is a link with the warranty statement. Hopefully you won't need to use it though :-)

http://www.aaopticalco.com/Collections.aspx?collectionID=3

[squimp]

The Arthur book series - Arthur has glasses.

American Girl Molly has glasses - of course that was DD's first choice when she wanted an AG doll.

And Harry Potter for the older set.

[spanannie]

I guess they didn't want the nose pieces because kids would find them bothersome. We'll find out soon, I guess (this is going to be one costly mistake, let me tell you).

We've had no problem with the nose pieces. My daughter is 5. We just couldn't find glasses w/o them that fit her petite face correctly and had the look that my husband liked.


By the way, did you do patching AND glasses? or just patching?

Yes, we patch with the glasses.


The whole thing is very frustrating. It's not in our family history; it clearly affects her fine motor development, and even though they keep saying "it's nothing you did", I keep blaming myself (for being an older mother, for not noticing it sooner, etc.)

Of course it's nothing that you should blame yourself for! Every child has there own area that they struggle with. I'm finding this as my DD is #2 and I thought I'd been through all of the stuff with child #1 and now we have an other set of issues. I wasn't terribly concerned about her eyes, until this year when the teacher told me how certain she was that it was affecting her academically. She referred me to a developmental optometrist. After we get her eye strengthened a bit, we will start some vision therapy, whatever that entails.

Of course this new doctor tweaked her Rx, so the 2 pair of glasses that we've had for a year will be useless. Replacing the lenses is almost as much as a new pair of glasses. Hopefully she'll have the new Rx for a while!

Good luck!

[spanannie]

DS had amblyopia. He patched/wore glasses for two years without issues. Now, DD has amblyopia caused by uveitis/farsightedness/astigmatism and it's a totally different story. She wouldn't patch at all.

My 5 year old refuses/fights patching every. single. day. I've bought every cute patch available on the Net and still haven't convinced her to be agreeable to doing it regularly. Still, we keep trying . . . hopefully she'll get used to it soon!

[sansdieu]

The Arthur book series - Arthur has glasses.



Duh! Why did I not think of Arthur?



Of course it's nothing that you should blame yourself for! Every child has there own area that they struggle with. I'm finding this as my DD is #2 and I thought I'd been through all of the stuff with child #1 and now we have an other set of issues. I wasn't terribly concerned about her eyes, until this year when the teacher told me how certain she was that it was affecting her academically. She referred me to a developmental optometrist. After we get her eye strengthened a bit, we will start some vision therapy, whatever that entails.

Of course this new doctor tweaked her Rx, so the 2 pair of glasses that we've had for a year will be useless. Replacing the lenses is almost as much as a new pair of glasses. Hopefully she'll have the new Rx for a while!

Good luck!

Thanks! You know you just want your child to be perfect, and when there is a "flaw", it gets to you...

Speaking of lenses, do you have Costco membership? Their optometry departments are of highest quality. They don't carry a huge selection of kids' frames (and no infant/ toddler frames), but they can cut lenses for any frame, even one that's not theirs. I believe kids' polycarbonate lenses are $49 + $18 extra for the custom lenses; all their standard warranties apply. Even with the custom fee, that's about a third of what our lenses alone cost at the optometrist.

Does anybody know if eyeglasses are EVER covered by standard insurance (not vision plans, I don't have one)?

[sansdieu]

My 5 year old refuses/fights patching every. single. day. I've bought every cute patch available on the Net and still haven't convinced her to be agreeable to doing it regularly. Still, we keep trying . . . hopefully she'll get used to it soon!

Yeah, in some ways, it's easier with a 2-yr old who's willing to play silly games, like pretending to be a pirate. When we patched, we used to all put paches on and chase each around the house screaming "Argh"...

[spanannie]

Duh! Why did I not think of Arthur?

Speaking of lenses, do you have Costco membership? Their optometry departments are of highest quality. They don't carry a huge selection of kids' frames (and no infant/ toddler frames), but they can cut lenses for any frame, even one that's not theirs. I believe kids' polycarbonate lenses are $49 + $18 extra for the custom lenses; all their standard warranties apply. Even with the custom fee, that's about a third of what our lenses alone cost at the optometrist.

Does anybody know if eyeglasses are EVER covered by standard insurance (not vision plans, I don't have one)?

I do have a Costco membership, but we've decided to purchase elsewhere. For some reason my frugal-never-picky-husband is VERY picky about the frames she wears. She actually wears the smallest version of some adult glasses. I have no clue about the insurance, as we are self-insured and our insurance doesn't cover any extras (or even having a baby, for that matter).