Glasses, reading, and VT concerns - WWYD?

[rafiki]

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[PeterPan]

Have you tried Calm Child (herbal drops from the health food store) or camomile tea? I'm just thinking out of the box here. I think the neuropsych eval is going to tell you the WHY of this. You just need to get through it. Nothing that's happening is permanent, so I just wouldn't sweat it. There's no way in the world it's permanent. You'll get through this, and he'll go back to enjoying reading, and probably even better once his eyes are fully working better.

 

Also, are there high value things you can lure him into reading? Comics?

 

I don't see why they're being so emphatic about this if the glasses are only for relaxing the eyes, not actually doing something therapeutic. Dd had the reading glasses and was told she could wear them after the daily homework to help rest her eyes, but it certainly wasn't some hill to die on. I'd ask specifically WHY he needs to wear this glasses and what HARM it will do if he doesn't. They need to give you a straight answer on that.

[Guest Cheryl in SoCal]

If he sees 20/20 without glasses why did the COVT prescribe them? Since they are progressive they must have an add (where the bifocal power is added, but his wouldn't look like a bifocal because they are progressive), do they also have a prescription in the sphere and cylinder? Unless his lenses (the lenses in his eyes) don't accommodate properly (like those of us in our 40's ;)) it doesn't make sense that he has to wear them unless there is also prescription in the sphere and cylinder, though it is still unusual for a child to need a bifocal/reading glasses. Another question, if they are just for reading why did they prescribe progressive lenses instead of just giving him reading glasses? It just seems strange to me.

 

Also, does he ever complain of how he is seeing? Many people (especially children) don't use progressive lenses very well. Some it makes sick and/or they just never get used to them so they have to switch back to regular bifocals. It's unusual for progressive lenses to be used in children as an initial choice because they need to learn how to use a bifocal before being able to switch to progressive lenses. My dd has worn bifocals since just before she turned 2 (she has no lenses in her eyes) and her Pediatric Ophthalmologist has no plans on switching her to progressive lenses in her glasses until she is Jr High age (she'll be 8 this summer). She also has a pair of "readers" that are just a +3 all over (no bifocal) that she uses when doing school work or reading because they give her more area to see (the whole book vs the part of the book she's sees when she is wearing her bifocals.

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[PeterPan]

You know it would be interesting to find out how many COVD docs prescribe reading glasses just as a matter of routine when the dc starts VT. To me, ornery as I am, that would seem like a money grab. I do know a girl who went to our VT place and come home with bifocals in addition to VT, but the girl NEEDED them, kwim?

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[PeterPan]

Yllek, that's really interesting! I've been wanting to go back and have dd do the VT stuff to me. I know my peripheral vision isn't where it needs to be, and I've wondered if strengthening my eyes would slow down the rotation of my astigmatism. I don't totally understand it, but my astigmatism keeps rotating each year I go and it gets worse. He said eventually it would go so far around it would start to get better when I get really old, go figure. But if the VT exercises would help, that would be better. We didn't do exactly that (using the flippers with reading), but we did a lot with the flippers. Seems to me that would have been pretty straightforward though and a good way to get in some time. And the glasses front for Michele, why didn't the people SAY that was the point if it is? It just seems strange.

[rafiki]

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[PeterPan]

Michele, on this floaters thing, you should put it on a list to talk with them about. Have you read anything about them? Wikipedia has an interesting article. I'd try to figure out whether they're INCREASING or whether he's NOTICING them more. There is a difference. Did they ever tell you what causes his floaters? And no, I don't have floaters, nor does dd, lol. My grandma did, but that was when she had a detatched retina. There can be lots of causes according to that W article. Again, that's the kind of thing I would expect them to explain to you.

 

Take paper and pen and write things down or else video tape.

[calandalsmom]

Your child should see a pediatric ophthalmologist if you suspect he has a vision issue. Otherwise id say you are fixing what "ain't broke" here.

[PeterPan]

Your child should see a pediatric ophthalmologist if you suspect he has a vision issue. Otherwise id say you are fixing what "ain't broke" here.

 

You know what's weird about this is we were polite enough to ASK you why you were so opposed to vision therapy and let you express yourself. Instead you've come over to someone else's thread and started slamming them for making their own INFORMED CHOICE THAT IS WORKING FOR THEM.

 

We were honestly interested to hear why you are so antagonistic to it, and no one would try to dissuade you otherwise, as we respect the necessity of people to chose. It's a shame you can't give Michele that same deference.

[rafiki]

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[Dobela]

I have been out of town and am just now getting back so I apologize for jumping in so late. My son has 20/20 vision and was also prescribed glasses by the VT. I think some of it may depend on what the actual vision issues are. My son's glasses were for the smallest prescription possible. Since he had tracking issues the glasses were another way of forcing his eyes to work together. The VT said it is common for kids to be prescribed the lowest levels while in VT because research shows it helps give visible/concrete physical boundaries to the eyes and brain and force them to work together. Or something like that....it has been a couple of years.

 

In the beginning my son was hypersensitive as well and the VT just told me to give it time - she promised me that as his vision improved and we were beyond the hardest initial stages of VT that he would not be so resistant towards the glasses. She was right. In the beginning VT was so tough that he was just totally exhausted. We actually saw an increase in sensitivity in other areas like clothing textures. After about 8 weeks though everything started settling down. And by the 3rd month he wore glasses without issues and actually would leave them on all the time.

 

Our advice in the beginning was that we needed glasses for all screen time and all reading. We made the rule for pretty much everything indoors. If he really complained I would allow them off for 'fun activities' sometimes as long as the fun choice wasn't computer or DS. Or I would just make him wear them for school and VT homework. Often after that he would leave them on for a small amount of time following.

 

After about 9 months of VT my son would ask for his glasses and wore them most of the time, even in activities that didn't require them like sports. At that point there was enough change that he wanted to wear them. At his appt last month his vision was good enough that she said in another year he should be able to give up glasses completely, unless puberty gets involved. Now he only wears them for reading/schoolwork/video games/etc. And honestly,I don't make him wear them all of those times either.

[rafiki]

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[laundrycrisis]

He's getting VT for convergence excess and primitive reflexes. Everything else was fine.

 

I would request that they focus on the specific problems he is getting the VT for. If they can't relate the need for the glasses to one of these and explain why they will help with it, I would ignore the glasses. Glasses should feel like they are helping, not making things harder.

 

Also you could try a pair of drugstore reading glasses he can wear further out from his eyes, if they get tired after several hours of reading.

[rafiki]

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[Guest Cheryl in SoCal]

Cheryl, we learned today that the glasses are likely not centered correctly and that he doesn't know how to use them. They were adjusted to his face a couple times actually, but were also supposed to be "centered" so when he looks straight forward he's not looking through a prescription. He also did not either know or understand that when reading he's to look through the bottom portion. When he reads, it's often in funny positions as kids will sometimes do and he tends to move his entire head vs his eyes, so he hasn't been looking through the reading portion of them. No wonder it's been frustrating.

 

They didn't want reading glasses only for him because he reads for so long and will look up while reading. The felt progressives were a better fit. We have the option of getting reading only glasses, but after spending $4,500 dh is not ready to spend another dime on vision. DS was not cooperating today and said he flat out doesn't want to wear the glasses and wasn't open to learning how to use them. He had his mind made up. They are going to try to reach him again on Wednesday.

 

Anyway he tracks at an adult level and has excellent focusing. The glasses are to relax his eyes because he has convergence excess.

 

Do you have any suggestions on how I can help him transition into these progressive glasses? He's never had glasses before, nor have I.

Do you know if the glasses themselves aren't centered on his face properly or if the problem is with the lenses? If it's the lenses it sounds like the Pupilary Distancy is off. This is the distance between the pupils (they measure for this) and is what will center the prescription in front of each eye. If it's off it can really mess with his vision, especially if it's way off. If the Pupillary Distance is off they are going to have to re-grind the lenses to make the Pupillary Distance correct.

 

Honestly, I would want straight reading glasses. It is going to be much easier for him to take off his glasses or look over the top when he needs to look away from a book (and it will likely be infrequently anyway) than it will be for him to learn how to use progressive lenses. I would shy away from bifocals as well because he will have to learn how to use them as well (though they are much easier to learn then progressive lenses) and IMHO having a larger reading area (the entire lens vs. the bifocal) is more beneficial.

 

Where did you get his glasses? Many optical shops (especially those that cater to children) will allow for one prescription change within a certain number of months. For instance, at the children's optical that I get my daughter's glasses through if the child's prescription changes during the 6 months after the glasses are made they will re-grind the lenses in the new prescription for free. If they aren't going to have to re-grind his lenses I would ask if you are allowed any prescription changes. Many optical shops will also allow for a change such as this anyway as many just can't adjust to progressive lenses. If they are going to have to re-grind the lenses to make the Pupilary Distance correct anyway I would tell them you want straight reading glasses instead of progressive or bifocal lenses. If they have to re-grind the lenses and this will actually save them money (it's cheaper to make a single vision lens than progressive or bifocal lens. I actually changed a pair of my daughter's single vision lenses (the ones she wears outside, not the ones she reads with) to bifocal so she would have the ability to see things near her when outside and it wasn't a problem.

 

If there is absolutely no way you can get switch him to reading glasses the only suggestion I have is to tell him that he has to look through the bottom of the lens when he is reading. With regular bifocals there is a line to guide you and all of the bifocal is the same power but with progressive lenses the power changes and you have to find the "sweet spot."

 

Can you tell me what his prescription is? It would help to know how strong they are.

[calandalsmom]

You know what's weird about this is we were polite enough to ASK you why you were so opposed to vision therapy and let you express yourself. Instead you've come over to someone else's thread and started slamming them for making their own INFORMED CHOICE THAT IS WORKING FOR THEM.

 

We were honestly interested to hear why you are so antagonistic to it, and no one would try to dissuade you otherwise, as we respect the necessity of people to chose. It's a shame you can't give Michele that same deference.

 

I think this is a gross over reaction to my comment. If what she was doing was working one would think she wouldnt have asked for opinions here. And also one would think that mine (divergent as it may be) would be as welcome as yours was on mine.

[calandalsmom]

The glasses are to relax his focus so he does not over-converge which he tends to do.

 

Reading glasses are our next step if he can't be trained to use the progressives.

 

I'd head that way sooner rather than later if this is an option.

 

I would not want to turn a kid off reading and think Id rather have a kid read for hours and have tired eye than NOT read and have correct convergence.

 

I have terrible astigmatism and I hate my glasses but this is a sensory issue, not a vision issue.

 

I was unable to acclimate to them for reading ever bc I put my hand on my head a lot and the glasses interfere.