Eye twitching/iris wobble when 2 month-old looks to side

[bostonsmama]

My 2 month old DS has had this weird eye movement since birth where his iris wobbles or jumps when he looks side to side. When he's looking all the way to the left or right, the iris pulses side to side in a quick twitching movement, much like you'd see in an intoxicated (drunk) adult during a field sobriety test. Clearly he's not drunk, but when I brought it up with our pediatrician, she said it was strange and referred us to an ophthalmologist. The appointments are booking almost 2 months out, so I figured I'd ask here in case anyone went through that. The ped said it takes a while for the eyes to work in tandem and that being cross-eyed or having a lazy eye was common until 4 months, but this isn't any of those.

Thanks.

[squimp]

My DD has vision issues but they started much later (age 3) and was a common eye crossing fixable with glasses. But initially our ped thought it was something neurological and so we were given a priority appointment at the pediatric ophthalmologist who would have referred us to a neurologist if necessary. If that is a concern, it might warrant an earlier appointment. I was surprised how little capacity our ped had to assess eye problems though.

[BunnyBee]

I had an ex-boyfriend who had nystagmus. His was congenital, via his father. It didn't seem to affect him. He wore contacts, but I'm not sure how much of that was related to the eye condition. It disqualified his father from military service, but that was a good thing (for him personally) as he had been drafted to go to Vietnam.

I have zero background in ophthalmology--your description just rang bells for my limited experience with nystagmus.

[Snow mom]

I had an ex-boyfriend who had nystagmus. His was congenital, via his father. It didn't seem to affect him. He wore contacts, but I'm not sure how much of that was related to the eye condition. It disqualified his father from military service, but that was a good thing (for him personally) as he had been drafted to go to Vietnam.

I have zero background in ophthalmology--your description just rang bells for my limited experience with nystagmus.

I have a friend with this also. As far as I know it doesn't really bother him much (although he does wear glasses). The description struck me as similar as well.

[infocrazy]

infantsee.org (I think, might need to google) I took all my kids. It is a free eye exam to look for eye muscle/major vision/correctable early issues. I usually did it around 7 months or so, but you might find some good info on that site and maybe be able to call an eye doctor for input on when is the best time to bring him in. They might be able to get you in earlier too for just this check...or at least you could go to someone for a quick check while you wait for the referral appt.

[RedSuedeShoes]

My DH is an optometrist & he says this sounds like end-point nystagmus, which is most likely nothing to worry about. I googled that term just now & found a really interesting page describing all types of nystagmus but don't know how to link it from my phone. It started with www.patient.co.uk....

[Gena]

There are several different types of nystagmus (involuntary eye movement). Some are have little or no effect on vision and no connection to other problems. But nystagmus, especially in infants, can be a sign of albinism, optic nerve disorders, macular disorders, congenital cataracts, or other problems. It's important to get it thoroughly checked out by a pediatric ophthalmologist.

DS has albinism, which is a pigment disorder affecting the skin hair and eyes. Ocular albinism affects only the eyes, while the skin and hair have normal or near-normal pigment. Most people with albinism have obvious nystagmus. DS does not have an obvious nystagmus, meaning that it is not always present. He does have a mild nystagmus that appears when he is very tired or sick. He does have mild visual impairments due to albinism, including: extreme farsightedness, extreme astigmatism, reduced visual acuity, reduced depth perception, foveal hypoplasia, misrouted optic nerves, intermittent strabismus, and photophobia. He sees his pediatric ophthalmologist several times a year.

I'm not saying that your DS has albinism or these other issues. I'm just sharing how nystagmus and related eye problems present in my son.

Did the ophthalmologist put you on their cancel list so that if an earlier appointment opens up, they will call you? To be honest, getting an appointment only 2 months out is really good. I understand that it feels like a long time away, especially with a baby so young. My son's pediatric ophthalmologist's schedule is full 4-6 months out. We waited over 4 months for our first appointment with him. His other specialists are the same way. I know how hard it is yo wait for that appointment when you want answers.

[bostonsmama]

Wow. Thanks all. I was having a hard turning up anything online with my limited search terms. This is a great launch point. As to the pediatric ophthalmologist, I was just told that is how far they are booking. Come Tuesday, I could find that it's longer. We will see. He has had so much wrong with him since birth, so nothing is really surprising. He started with Transposition of the Great Arteries, and he was just diagnosed with submucus cleft palate with bifid uvula and notched hard palate. Friday he had his lingual frenulum clipped. Why not add this to the mix? LOL. He is one amazing little guy, though...the delight of my heart. I look forward to finding out what it's related to.

[ChicagoNDMom]

Hi, just wanted to send hugs and best wishes and offer one piece of advice: please get in with the peds ophthalmologist ASAP. It sounds like you have had your hands full with several very important medical issues, but please have a sense of urgency about this matter. There are some conditions associated with nystagmus that, without prompt attention, can lead to permanent visual/cosmetic issues. Enlist your pediatrician if you cannot get a prompt (<2 weeks) appointment when you call the ophthalmologist. Know, too, that this may be absolutely nothing at all. But better to know ASAP one way or another. The only risk is being looked at as a concerned mom who wanted a quick appointment. A small price to pay.

[squimp]

We were able to get in with the ped ophth in less than a week, but at the time our pediatrician thought the problem was neurologic. IME with two pediatricians in our office, they just don't have the training to diagnose even the most common eye issues. Our ped wanted to do an MRI with sedation because her eyes were crossed, which sent us into panic mode. We listened to our parenting gut and insisted on seeing the pediatric ophthalmologist first. I let my DH make that call, he is very persuasive. :)

Huge hugs, it sounds like you have a full plate right now.