Toddler with glasses

[transylvania_mom]

I think my almost-2-y/o might need glasses. She started closing one eye when looking in a certain direction and she rubs that eye frequently. These were the symptoms my ds had before he got his glasses at 5 y/o. I was hoping that dd wouldn't have vision problems, until she was out of the toddler years at least...

I don't want to take her for a check-up. I don't want to find out.

But I probably will.

If it turns out to be strabismus (like her brother), do you know if it's damaging to her not to wear glasses (at least for another year)?

I will take my doctor's advice of course, but I'd really appreciate if you could share your stories about your kids wearing (or not wearing) glasses.

Thanks!

[dejagerw]

I don't have a story about my kids wearing glasses, but I distinctly remember the moment I got glasses as a child. I was 7 and when I put them on everything looked incredibly clear, I couldn't believe it. I looked at a Christmas wreath across the mall and I said "wow, I never knew the world looked like this". Apparently my mom felt awful. But it was pretty cool to actually see things clear. I'm not an eye expert, but I do know sometimes eye problems let go too long untreated can result in a lazy eye because the stronger eye ends up doing all the work and the weaker one just kinda relaxes. I'm sure you'd both really regret if something like that happened. I'd take her to get checked for sure.

[dbsam]

Both of my children wear glasses.  They started wearing them around age 3 - almost 4.  I saw no signs of them having eye problems; I just took them in for a routine eye exam.  My son's need for glasses was borderline but the doctor said he would strain his eyes less if he wore them.  My daughter definitely needed them; she has a significant astigmatism and strabismus.  At the first visit, I asked the doctor if my daughter really needed to get the glasses since she could read an eye chart, was having no problems, etc.  He said "If you want her to see clearly she needs the glasses.”  She also needed daily patching.  She is now 7 and still wears her glasses happily.  My son, also 7, doesn't mind wearing the glasses either.

[MountainMamaGC]

My 3 year old has glasses. She is really farsighted. I noticed her eye would just give up and turn inward. Then it started turning in more often than not. The doctor did a retinoscopy and discovered she needed a +4.00 prescription for each eye. She doesnt mind wearing her glasses, but I let her take breaks whenever she wants so she feels she has some control over the situation. Her eye doesnt turn in as long as she wears her glasses. I have a follow up at the end of the month to see how well she is doing with them.

I want to add that I had to take her to 3 eye doctors to get taken seriously. The first 2 said it wasnt a big deal if they could not get her eye to cross and to bring back when she could read the picture charts. The third took me seriously enough to do the retinoscope, which to my surprise was really easy. They just put drops in her eyes, and shined a light through lenses until it refracted the way they wanted it to. It was so nice to finally get her glasses, because in time between all those doctors her eye was turned in about 60-70% of the day.

[Wolfcat]

Originally Posted by transylvania_mom 

I think my almost-2-y/o might need glasses. She started closing one eye when looking in a certain direction and she rubs that eye frequently. These were the symptoms my ds had before he got his glasses at 5 y/o. I was hoping that dd wouldn't have vision problems, until she was out of the toddler years at least...

I don't want to take her for a check-up. I don't want to find out.

But I probably will.

If it turns out to be strabismus (like her brother), do you know if it's damaging to her not to wear glasses (at least for another year)?

I will take my doctor's advice of course, but I'd really appreciate if you could share your stories about your kids wearing (or not wearing) glasses.

Thanks!

DS got glasses at 2 years old. We reinforced that he had to wear them for about a month, then he was fine. We get the cheap ones at Walmart, cuz he is a 5 yo boy and there is nothing on this earth that will keep him from being hard on his glasses. Walmart fixes them for free when he breaks them in less then a year. I would die from a heart attack if they lasted a whole year.

[squimp]

DD has been wearing glasses since she turned 3.  I understand being a little sad about glasses, but I bet they will help her see better and that's the most important thing.  Our ped opth told us that with strabismus, it might be correctable with glasses for a while, but then the one eye that's crossing will just start turning off.  And then it becomes more challenging to fix.  So I'd make the appointment sooner rather than later. 

[transylvania_mom]

Thanks for the replies, I made an appointment for next week. But if the doctor says she needs glasses, I'll ask if we can wait for another 3-6 mo. I doubt we can though.

If anyone has other BDTD stories, I'd love to hear them.

[LittleBirdy]

I had strabismus as a child and I got glasses at age 2.  Getting glasses early, plus wearing a patch, saved me from having eye surgery so you may not be able to put it off.  I know keeping glasses on a two year old is crazy hard but totally worth it if it saves your DD from having to have surgery.