optometrist

Discussion in 'The Toddler Years(1-3)' started by eagleswings216, Jan 10, 2014.

  1. eagleswings216

    eagleswings216 Well-Known Member

    So, we took our boys for the 4 year check up.  They both did fine on their hearing screening and all their milestones, but they did bad on their vision screening.  One was 20/40 in both eyes, the other was 20/50, so we are going to an optometrist, but they can't get us in until April.  There is only one person within an hour of us who will see kids their age.
     
    Anyone have a similar experience?  I really, really hate to think that they may need glasses because I know it's going to be a nightmare keeping up with them, them getting broken, etc. because they are super active, always running around and wrestling with each other, etc. 
     
    Is there any chance it could be something else treatable??  They are adopted, and I know their birthmom wears glasses, so probably some genetics involved.
     
  2. Dielle

    Dielle Well-Known Member

    Little kids rarely have 20/20 vision.  I wouldn't be worried at all.  They may well fall in the normal "range" for their age.  But I still think it's a good idea to get them checked if your pedi has any concerns.  We found out my son had a severe astigmatism in one eye when he was 6, and by then his brain had learned to compensate and pretty much stopped using that eye, so even with corrective lenses, he couldn't see any better.  We had to patch and do vision therapy and it wasn't until he was 11 or so that he finally had 20/20 vision with his glasses.  The Dr. told us it would have been much better to find out earlier.
     
    One of my twins is legally blind and got her first pair of glasses when she was 2 1/2.  She looked so cute in them and did an amazing job of keeping them on.  Some kids are very hard on glasses (Trey used to be), but it's not a given and they make glasses so much cuter and sturdier than they were when I was a kid.
     
  3. eagleswings216

    eagleswings216 Well-Known Member

    Thanks.  I was doing some reading online and it seems like 20/40 is actually pretty normal for kids their age, so I'm hoping it's not a big deal, but I guess we will find out.  I wish we could get them in sooner than April, but there's not much we can do about that at this point.  If they need glasses, they need them, I just know it will be a hassle for me and I'll be the one stressing about keeping up with the glasses, taking them back if they get broken, etc.
     
  4. Danibell

    Danibell Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I just took my 4.5 yr old a few weeks ago, and I believe his vision was 20/40 as well.  I took him because we suspected he was colorblind (he is).  The optometrist figures he will likely need glasses at some point but right now he's right on course for normal.  My 11.5 yr old just got glasses this visit too, and I'm planning to take my girls to get checked here soon, just to catch any issues as early as possible.

    My nephew had to get glasses around 4 yrs old, it started by him saying he couldn't see the tv from a certain angle in their living room.  They found out one eye wasn't working correctly, he also did patching and vision therapy, he is 8 now and his vision is much improved, but he'll always need glasses.
     
  5. MNTwinSquared

    MNTwinSquared Well-Known Member

    I believe most kids are naturally far-sighted.  I wouldn't worry too much.  Get them an appointment and the dr can look in their eyes and tell what they need, if anything. 
     
    My twins got glasses when they turned 3.  I worried about them having issues keeping them on, but in truth, they could see a lot better so it was never an issue.  They also say that if a kid cannot see as well, their behavior suffers.  Glasses = better behavior.  You just might be surprised if they need glasses, how they will keep them on. 
     
  6. becasquared

    becasquared Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    Alice was 20/50 and Royce was 20/40 two summers ago. It's no biggie. I'll take them back this summer and see how it's progressing. I had to wear glasses, but not until I was in fourth grade. I expect at least one of the two will eventually.
     
  7. eagleswings216

    eagleswings216 Well-Known Member

    I do wonder about their behavior.  They are the only kids in their preschool class who can't sit still for circle time, and it makes me wonder if it's because they can't see the books well.  We also have the same issue at church.  We've also noticed that at home, they always want to be close to the TV.  We thought it was just a bad habit, and we always make them move back to an appropriate distance, but that makes me wonder, too.
     
    Thanks, that is good to hear.  I'm hoping that's what they will tell us.  I wear glasses/contacts, too, but I didn't start until 7th grade, so I was hoping it would be later on for them, too, when they are more responsible with their things.
     
  8. megkc03

    megkc03 Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    My boys were two when they got glasses. N was first, and three months later A followed. They both are far sighted, N more so than A. They both have a stygmatism in their right eyes. Again, N more so than A. A was borderline when he first went, so doc had him come back in three months and over the course of that time, I could tell his eye was turning in more and more.

    In any case! There never was an issue of them keeping their glasses on. Ever. We had trouble with patching with N in the beginning and one day I thought to patch a stuffed animal and that worked lol. Both boys had patching at some point when they started out.

    They are now 6. They are lost without their glasses. They wake up and immediately they are on. On average, we can go about six months without needing another pair(duct tape...electrical tape help...). But it's covered through insurance. Thankfully. I did just pay out of pocket for four pairs for them-two for playing soccer(so sports goggles), and two for when their other ones break(state insurance and can take upwards of 8 weeks to come in...).

    N broke his at soccer last week(hence goggles lol), and he didn't have some until we taped an old pair together. He was definitely lost without them, already I was noticing things he was doing. He cocked his head one way to make up for not seeing out of one eye better than the other. When he wrote his homework, OMG it was all over the place because he couldn't see.

    I wouldn't worry honestly. My boys were so young and they've done awesome with them. And dh and I don't wear glasses. Ever. And we were really perplexed why our kids would need them. Doc said it goes way way way back down the ancestry line(our parents all have glasses, but that's due to older age). Good luck!
     
  9. w101ttd

    w101ttd Well-Known Member

    You just reminded me that I need to take my kids in for eye checks. My family all got short sighted (mom, sis, bro, me). My eyes are pretty bad -8. So I expect my kids will be at some point soon.

    Don't worry about they will break their glasses. They won't. You can buy kids glasses. Those are very tough and flexible. My nephews got them Around 5 and 6 yrs old. And they are very active. But they always keep them on.

    Good luck!
     
  10. Kludelhoven

    Kludelhoven Well-Known Member

    Just a thought, do you have to take them to a pediatric eye Dr, couldn't you just take them to a regular eye dr and get in sooner maybe?  I know my eye Dr starts seeing kids at the age of 1.  I work at a dental office and a lot of people think that their kids need to go  see a pediatric dentist but they really don't unless there is a behavior problem.
     
    Ok sorry just reread your post, I see there isn't anyone in the area taking kids their age, sorry!
     
  11. mama_dragon

    mama_dragon Well-Known Member

    One of my twins is severely farsighted and has astigmatism.  We had no clue until his 2 year check up.  At the check up we found out he also has eye muscle problems.  His eye went out (not crossed eyed) on occasion and one eye his vision had never fully developed.  He ended up having eye surgery at age 3.  I even knew the signs of vision problems since his father is severely farsighted and I have two friends who are blind (one completely blind which is rare).
     
    He LOVES his glasses.  Put them on the first time and refused to take them off even at bedtime.  We buy the high end memory metal glasses.   These glasses can be bent in half and not break.  He has yet to break a pair and he is extremely active.  He does know to take them off with roughhousing with his brother and/or I. 
     
    20/40 and 20/50 is not a big change in fact if that is the true number they may do a wait and see and not need glasses yet. In fact I have a friend who is legally blind but via surgery, contacts and glasses can get vision corrected to 20/60 and 20/70.  He reads, watches TV and in fact has a job in computers.  He does fine except for driving.   In addition a failed chart test indicates a possible problem not a for sure need for glasses.  Eyes are still developing at this age so kids often do not have 20/20 vision.  The best way to know at this age is an exam by an eye doctor including dilation.  My one goes at least 3 times a year and they do the chart each time but the only way they will change his prescription is at this dilating appointment 1x a year because while he does well with the charts now it is not as accurate at this age (he is turning 5 soon).  
     
    And it may seem like a lifetime but 3 months is not a huge deal.  Even if they need glasses it isn't a that long of a wait.
     
  12. FGMH

    FGMH Well-Known Member

    DD started wearing glasses at around 3. The pedi noticed she might have vision problems at a baby well-check and we have been seeing an optometrist with her since 9 or 10 months. It turns out that she has one eye with perfect vision and one eye that is very far-sighted. We have been doing patch therapy with her since she was 1 to keep the weaker eye working and the nerves and brain developing and to prevent a habit of using only one eye. When she was 3 we added glasses. Her weak eye has been slowly but continously improving.
     
    She is still wearing her first pair of glasses (she will need a new size soon) and we have only once had to have them repaired. Our insurance covers about 50% of the cost, so I am happy we don't need new one every couple of months. We have a house rule that she takes them off for rough-housing. If they are really bothering her she may also take them off for a short break in the day and we have designated safe places for the glasses at home and at pre-school and she is good about putting them there and generally taking care of them. The patches bother her a lot more and we have had to be quite creative with getting her to wear them at times.
     
  13. AimeeThomp

    AimeeThomp Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I think the only time it's a problem is when one eye is more far sighted than the other. That's the problem Lily had - she is very far sighted in one eye and not so much in the other eye so her brain shut down her "bad" eye. Luckily we caught it in time and now at age 6 with glasses on she can see 20/25 in the "bad" eye. When we started she was 10/70 in the bad eye - she had no vision at 20 feet at all. Lily also patched for over a year, for 4 hours every day.
     

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