My baby's eyes are crossing-experience?

[Desert Strawberry]

Luna is 11 months. In the past few weeks we have noticed her eyes are crossing more often and more pronouncedly (?). I took her to the pediatrician and I'm waiting for a referral to an opthamalogist. 

Google is telling me that she is far-sighted, will need glasses, and eye patching. Her vision is clearly compromised, as she often turns her head to the side to compensate. 

She is being karyotyped and having other labwork done due to low weight gain, small stature and a few other soft signs which could possibly be syndrome-related. 

 

Does anyone have any related experience?

[scholastica]

All of my kids were farsighted from very young ages. They have all been able to be corrected with glasses until the last one. She needed surgery this summer to correct the strabismus. I do have one kid who no longer needs glasses. The others likely always will. The younger you catch it the better. Good job mom!

[umsami]

I had strabismus and amblyopia as a kid.  I had surgery just around two or two and half.  We tried patching, and I still remember playing some weird game with a patch and the letter E.   Even though I was treated young, I still have issues...especially when using microscopes or those vision tests at the DMV when they separate your eyes.  One eye is still much much weaker. 

 

The good news is it's a much easier surgery these days.  Outpatient.  They may try patching for awhile or even atropine drops.   I know that the trend is to try patching for a long time, but I would not wait until she was five, six, seven, or older.  Why? The brain does not always acknowledge the other eye when correction occurs later.  So, your DD might still have limited vision from the eye affected. 

 

Be sure you see a pediatric ophthalmologist.  They're the guys who do this surgery all the time and treat it.  They'll also know how to properly examine even non verbal and very young kids.  Here's the org for pediatric ophthalmologists: http://www.aapos.org/  You can also try the AAO  https://secure.aao.org/aao/find-an-eye-md

[mom2att]

My oldest got glasses at 2. We were clued in to her need for them because crossed her eyes to compensate for the fact that she is terribly far-sighted. The glasses were not too much of a big deal, and she did a couple of rounds of patching as well. It does mean a lot of pediatric ophthalmologist appointments because they want to keep close track on how the child's vision changes with growth. At 19 she still needs corrective lenses and always will, but I will never forget the look on her face when she first got her glasses--she actually looked around the room and smiled.

[Loowit]

My middle got glasses just before his 2nd birthday.  He never needed patching or surgery, although for a while there was some question as to whether or not he might need it, but with wearing his glasses constantly when awake, it self corrected.  He still needs glasses, and if he goes without too long his eyes start to cross, but he is good about wearing his glasses.  I had heard a lot of stories about how hard it was to get kids to wear them, but he loved his the moment he got them because he could finally see. 

 

We had to do patching with DD when she was around 4 1/2. She never had crossed eyes, but we found out when I took her in for a before Kindergarten eye check to an optometrist that she could really only see well out of one eye.  That eye had learned to compensate for the much weaker eye.  Patching was a huge struggle with her because she couldn't see much at all with her weak eye.  I wish we had caught it sooner.

[Miss Tick]

Two of mine for glasses before they turned 1. Older had a bit of patching, we got a cute patch that fit over his glasses. Those two both have bifocals. As people age (7-12ish), they tend to get more near-sighted, and we've seen prescription strength step down along with that. Glasses have turned out to be no big deal.

 

Definitely good to catch it early!

 

ETA: our ophthalmologist said it runs strongly in siblings, so he would occasionally do a quick check of ds's twin, and sure enough, at 4 she needed glasses. Not as strong a prescription.

Edited December 18, 2015 by SusanC

[Guest]

We had a kid with crossing eyes where they seemed to uncross by about a year.

 

Come to find out they were still overconverging and there was an astigmatism and near sightedness, but the kid was just compensating for it and beginning to ignore input from that eye. Whoops. This was with regular vision checks by both a nurse and an eye doctor. No one caught it until this year! So now we are trying to correct it and patching.

[medawyn]

Mine has been seeing a pediatric opthalmologist since about 6 months for eye-crossing.  We determined pretty quickly that she isn't far sighted (at least any more than typical for an infant) and has so far been using both eyes equally, just individually.  We've tried patching and glasses, but the dr wasn't convinced of a high success rate, since it seems to be a muscle issue not a vision issue for DD.  She has what they call esotropia.

 

We had surgery scheduled in February to correct her muscle placement, but we are now moving out of state at the end of this month, so I will have to find a new doc and reschedule.  My dr said that optimal treatment is before the age of two if possible, but even with surgery there is not a 100% guarantee of success.  He said that 50% of kids will need a repeat surgery as they age and their eyes grow and new muscle weaknesses are revealed.  He advocates surgery as close to one as possible to heighten the chances of the brain developing better depth perception.

 

I'm not looking forward to finding a new dr, but so far everyone has been very helpful and positive.  

[Ravin]

I had glasses, patching, and surgery done for crossed eyes when I was little. I think I was about 2 1/2 when the surgery was done, after the patching and glasses(?) I was good until about age 10, then I guess with a growth spurt my eye muscles got out of whack again, and my left eye is still slightly crossed. I lost all depth perception. I had it when I was 9 (we went to Disneyland and I remember the 3D movie with Michael Jackson; I could see that fine). With both eyes open, my brain ignores all overlap data from the left eye. I still have peripheral vision from the left, but if I close my right, it's like looking through cloudy glass or static fuzz on an old TV for the main field of vision.

 

I'd say, go with recommended therapies, and never forget the regular checkups thereafter. We did a cross country move when I was 9 and with all the upheaval there was a year there with no eye exam, and that's when things deteriorated.

[gardenmom5]

unless it is a developmental ophthalmologist - skip it.  seriously.  you want a developmental. ONLY a developmental. I'm speaking from very hard experience. (i have strabismus and amblyopia - the non-developmentals really didn't know how to treat me for the greatest benefit, and my vision has suffered becasue of it.)

 

look-up infantsee.org .  it will give a list of providers. they will also do early eye exams for free.  (under 1y.)

 

eta: even as a 50something adult - I will now only go to a developmental OD (who mostly see's pediatric patients.).  it's that big a deal for my vision.  (even in the exams - non-dev's would leave me ill, with a headache from their rx.)

Edited December 18, 2015 by gardenmom5

[EmilyGF]

Do you ever notice white-eye (instead of red-eye) in pictures?

 

The chance is super duper remote (like 1 baby per state per year), but our friend whose child had this also was slow to grow and experienced crossing eyes as well as obvious lack of vision. He also turned his head to compensate. If you see white in your child's eyes in pictures, get in to your doctor Monday. Our friend's son had retinoblastoma, a super-duper rare eye cancer in children. If there is no white, disregard this.

 

(Usually I'm not a scare tactics person, but since this isn't just eyes crossing but part of a bigger issue, I thought I'd just throw this out. No white, no problem.)

 

Emily

 

ETA: An article on an app to screen for this that was developed by a boardie, her husband, and some of his colleagues.

Edited December 18, 2015 by EmilyGF

[prairiewindmomma]

I've had this pop up with three kids.

 

In #1, it was a brain tumor.  If an eye turns in and does not move back out, that is worthy of going to an ER.  Exotropia or esotropia means that the eyes can still move freely. Same deal with amblyopia.

 

With my other kids, we had them seen by both a ped ophthalmologist and by a COVD.  They each had different insights.  A baby isn't going to be able to participate in vision therapy.  Patching and possible prism glasses are things that are likely to be on the table to try to keep the brain developing vision pathways from both eyes. The main thing that you want to try to achieve is to keep the brain from shutting off one of those pathways. It is VERY hard to get that back. (We did it with one kid.)

 

One good book that I'll recommend, once she's toddler-ish in age, is Developing Your Child for Success which is a great way to strengthen visual functioning skills in your kid. Our FCOVD took our kid as her youngest patient, at age 5, for VT.  Our work before in tossing beanbags, walking on lines of tape, etc. gave him enough foundational listening skills that he could participate.

 

(((Desert Strawberry))) & hugs to sweet Luna!

[medawyn]

I've had this pop up with three kids.

 

In #1, it was a brain tumor.  If an eye turns in and does not move back out, that is worthy of going to an ER.  Exotropia or esotropia means that the eyes can still move freely. Same deal with amblyopia.

 

With my other kids, we had them seen by both a ped ophthalmologist and by a COVD.  They each had different insights.  A baby isn't going to be able to participate in vision therapy.  Patching and possible prism glasses are things that are likely to be on the table to try to keep the brain developing vision pathways from both eyes. The main thing that you want to try to achieve is to keep the brain from shutting off one of those pathways. It is VERY hard to get that back. (We did it with one kid.)

 

One good book that I'll recommend, once she's toddler-ish in age, is Developing Your Child for Success which is a great way to strengthen visual functioning skills in your kid. Our FCOVD took our kid as her youngest patient, at age 5, for VT.  Our work before in tossing beanbags, walking on lines of tape, etc. gave him enough foundational listening skills that he could participate.

 

(((Desert Strawberry))) & hugs to sweet Luna!

 

Thanks for this!  I haven't taken my 13 mo to a COVD because I know she is much too young for vision therapy.  So far she is using both eyes equally, but I'm glad to have a resource to start working with her before she can start vision therapy.

[MyLittleWonders]

My dd (Down syndrome) has strabismus in her left eye. She has been in glasses with a prescription of only +1.25 for 2 1/2 years. Her eye doctor said the medical books would say glasses wouldn't work and she'd need surgery, but the glasses have been working great. We are trialling right now no glasses for one month, though her eye does cross at times so I think her doctor will have her go back to wearing them. She has no need for the glasses for vision; she wears them to relax the need to focus, thus relaxing the muscle in the eye, allowing the eyes to work together. 

[Desert Strawberry]

Do you ever notice white-eye (instead of red-eye) in pictures?

 

The chance is super duper remote (like 1 baby per state per year), but our friend whose child had this also was slow to grow and experienced crossing eyes as well as obvious lack of vision. He also turned his head to compensate. If you see white in your child's eyes in pictures, get in to your doctor Monday. Our friend's son had retinoblastoma, a super-duper rare eye cancer in children. If there is no white, disregard this.

 

(Usually I'm not a scare tactics person, but since this isn't just eyes crossing but part of a bigger issue, I thought I'd just throw this out. No white, no problem.)

 

Emily

 

ETA: An article on an app to screen for this that was developed by a boardie, her husband, and some of his colleagues.

I was aware of this, and no, I have never seen any reflection in her eyes in pictures. 

 

 

[Desert Strawberry]

Thank you for all the replies. 

We hadn't noticed any issues with her vision up to this point. She can definitely see us, plays with toys and feeds herself with no problems. The crossing is intermittent and has only just started within the last 3-4 weeks. We are surely catching it early. 

 

So it sounds like she will definitely need intervention-glasses at least, probably patching, vision therapy should be available through Early Intervention (which seems to be extremely accessible and well funded here), and possibly surgery, though I doubt it will be necessary, as it is only intermittent crossing. 

I have very poor vision, D wears glasses, including for far sightedness as a small child ( not this young), so I suppose it's no surprise that she has some vision problems. 

[Jaybee]

One of ours was almost 13 months when we noticed his eyes crossing when he brought objects up to his face (generally food). We got him in to a ped opth, and had glasses on him quickly. He never needed patching or surgery. I was concerned about keeping glasses on him, but by the second day, he didn't even want to take them off for his bath or nap. I also started wearing glasses as a toddler for farsightedness.

[Desert Strawberry]

One of ours was almost 13 months when we noticed his eyes crossing when he brought objects up to his face (generally food). We got him in to a ped opth, and had glasses on him quickly. He never needed patching or surgery. I was concerned about keeping glasses on him, but by the second day, he didn't even want to take them off for his bath or nap. I also started wearing glasses as a toddler for farsightedness.

I am concerned that she won't keep them on. She won't wear a hat, or shoes, or socks, or anything in her hair-in spite of wearing headbands and bows everyday for her second day of life. 

 

I know that baby glasses have bands, and that should help. And I know babies with poor vision do WANT to wear them so that they can see. I suspect that her vision isn't too bad, though so I have no faith in her willingness. 

 

I'm also concerned about fit, because her head is very tiny. Something like the 0.00001th percentile. She's tiny, but her head is disproportionately small even for her size. She's just slightly outgrown small newborn caps. I know some very small babies have glasses, but I'm not sure that they come in newborn size. 

[RootAnn]

When my own dd#1 started crossing her eyes at 2, it was a little bit of a freak-out for me. DH had eye issues & surgery when he was young (and his eyes work independently now), so he wasn't as alarmed. Anyway, way back when, this blog had helpful perspectives (from patching, no patching, surgery, & non-surgery people). It looks like they are still keeping it up - with new people?

 

Best of luck.

[Jaybee]

I am concerned that she won't keep them on. She won't wear a hat, or shoes, or socks, or anything in her hair-in spite of wearing headbands and bows everyday for her second day of life. 

 

I know that baby glasses have bands, and that should help. And I know babies with poor vision do WANT to wear them so that they can see. I suspect that her vision isn't too bad, though so I have no faith in her willingness. 

 

I'm also concerned about fit, because her head is very tiny. Something like the 0.00001th percentile. She's tiny, but her head is disproportionately small even for her size. She's just slightly outgrown small newborn caps. I know some very small babies have glasses, but I'm not sure that they come in newborn size. 

I don't really know about this personally, but I have seen babies with glasses that look like they have soft (maybe silicone?) frames that wrap around. Our son wore more typical glasses with an elastic band. On the way home after getting them, he took them off in the car. When we got home, he took them off and threw them in the floor with a "No!" I thought, "Oh no, what are we going to do?" I put them back on him, and that was that. Once he had them on long enough to notice the change in his sight, he wanted them on all the time. I was pleasantly surprised.

 

ETA: http://gosmarteyewear.com/store/index.php/babies-and-toddlers.html

Edited December 19, 2015 by Jaybee

[prairiewindmomma]

My baby was first screened when she was 3 months old (and was preemie--so just barely into 3-6 month sized clothes). I can't remember if Miraflex makes newborn sizes, but they are out there.  

[Desert Strawberry]

I don't really know about this personally, but I have seen babies with glasses that look like they have soft (maybe silicone?) frames that wrap around. Our son wore more typical glasses with an elastic band. On the way home after getting them, he took them off in the car. When we got home, he took them off and threw them in the floor with a "No!" I thought, "Oh no, what are we going to do?" I put them back on him, and that was that. Once he had them on long enough to notice the change in his sight, he wanted them on all the time. I was pleasantly surprised.

 

ETA: http://gosmarteyewear.com/store/index.php/babies-and-toddlers.html

 

 

My baby was first screened when she was 3 months old (and was preemie--so just barely into 3-6 month sized clothes). I can't remember if Miraflex makes newborn sizes, but they are out there.  

 

 

Ah, yes. These. I have only seen pictures. Luna is in 3-6 month clothes with an abnormally small head. About the size of a 3 month old, I would guess. these should fit. They aren't even exceptionally expensive. http://gosmarteyewear.com/store/index.php/babies-and-toddlers/baby-zero.html

 

Ah. That's a relief. 

[medawyn]

Ah, yes. These. I have only seen pictures. Luna is in 3-6 month clothes with an abnormally small head. About the size of a 3 month old, I would guess. these should fit. They aren't even exceptionally expensive. http://gosmarteyewear.com/store/index.php/babies-and-toddlers/baby-zero.html

 

Ah. That's a relief. 

 

Yup, that's what we had when DD was 6 months (but one size up).  She wore them mostly happily from 6-12 months, until we determined they weren't making an impact for her.  They were pretty adorable :-)

[Kerileanne99]

Do you ever notice white-eye (instead of red-eye) in pictures?

 

The chance is super duper remote (like 1 baby per state per year), but our friend whose child had this also was slow to grow and experienced crossing eyes as well as obvious lack of vision. He also turned his head to compensate. If you see white in your child's eyes in pictures, get in to your doctor Monday. Our friend's son had retinoblastoma, a super-duper rare eye cancer in children. If there is no white, disregard this.

 

(Usually I'm not a scare tactics person, but since this isn't just eyes crossing but part of a bigger issue, I thought I'd just throw this out. No white, no problem.)

 

Emily

 

ETA: An article on an app to screen for this that was developed by a boardie, her husband, and some of his colleagues.

Lol, I was going to say the same thing because of our friendship with one of the sweetest little boys on the planet. How perfectly cool that it is the same one:)