We recently took my son for his check-up and mentioned that it looked like he has a lazy eye. We were then sent to a specialist who said my son has Strabismus and that surgery is the only way that it will be corrected.
However, I wanted more information and checked it out on the internet. I found out that surgery is not the only option out there, and that even with the surgery he would still have to go to therapy afterwards. The specialist never mentioned any of this! I even asked if there were any other alternatives to surgery and he said that with out the surgery he could possibly lose his eye sight in one eye. But according the the official Stabismus website, loss of vision is a "scare tactic" used by some doctors.
When I called the specialist to ask about this, I was told that surgery before age 2 can eliminate the need for therapy, and that the loss of vision is not a scare tactic. He also said that the main reason for the surgery is cosmetic, since it would correct the lazy eye and he would not have to deal with that as he grows up. Which as a mother I would not want him to be teased in school because of it. I just wish that I knew more about Strabismus and the outcomes from the surgery. Has anyone had to deal with this? What did you end up doing?
Olivia, my daughter also has that..we discovered it when she was 3 1/2 (she'll be 5 in October now) we first noticed her left eye turning inward. So within a month we had her seeing a pediatric eye doctor. They had us patch her good eye first to try to strengthen the muscles in her weak eye. And now she wears glasses. I asked if she would always have to wear glasses and they said that probably throughout her childhood she would be. I'm not sure about the surgery part (maybe in different cases they would have to)but I'm surprised that your son's doctor hasn't tried the patching first, or has he already? Luckily they didn't think my daughter would need surgery, they said her glasses would help it. I also looked up information on that Strabismus before my daughter had seen the eye doctor, and I read that if the child would go too long without treatment for it, then the eye could possibly go blind. I think it's called amblyopia or something. Good luck though and I would look more into it if I were you, maybe find another docotor to look at them for another opinion, because you'd think that they would try one of the above mentioned options, unless the condition is already too extent.
I haven't had to deal with this. My suggestion to you is to get a second opinion. It sounds like you're not totally comfortable with this doctor and his course of treatment. You can ask your doc for another recommendation. Don't submit your son to surgery unless you're sure that's the best course of treatment. Good luck to you and your son.
I'd get a second opinion. My son was diagnosed with this and wore corrective lenses. He still wears a slight prescription, but we're sposed to go back to the dr. in about four months to find out if we can get rid of the glasses altogether....something else to think about: if it's purely cosmetic your insurance probably won't pay for it.
sounds like he's just trying to pay for his jaguar to me.
First off, there are different types of strabismus. Some have sight problems and others do not. My daughter just has the lazy eye, no vision problems so no need for glasses.
She had the surgery when she was 8 months old. No therapy, nothing. She was perfect within an hour after the surgery.
The surgery was nothing really. I was terrified of the thought of my baby having anything done, but it was so fast! The medical center & doc was AWESOME! She was in & out in recovery in 40 minutes! It was much better than fighting her to wear a patch and deal with her doing therapy.
Now at 10, she is showing some signs of her eyes not following together. We just went to the opt. & her vision is fine. She will just get one more surgery. Same thing can happen with patching, lazy eye can return years later. So there is no guarentee either way. While going through my reasearch I talked to lots of people who did other methods then ended up on deciding on surgery later.
Basically though, if you aren't comfortabe with it try one of the other methods first! There is no harm in trying and it might work for him just fine!
One other thing, even though it might be "cosmetic" most insurances (even medicaid) will pay for it. It's more like a birth defect cosmetic instead of a boob job cosmetic ;o)
Olivia~
My sister (now 30 years old) had/has strabismus. She has been through the gamet of surgeries (several as a baby and child, and even one in college) and therapy (patching, prescription lens for the good eye, etc). She has been treated at Riley Hospital for Children (even the surgery when she was in college) - and has received great care there! The doctors have been great. I see you are in Louisville, but it'd only be about 2 hrs for you - - maybe worth it to get a second opinion. Perhaps they know of someone you'd be able to trust in Louisville. Let me know if you'd like more information about Riley, or even would like to be in touch with my sister - I'm sure she'd be happy to share her personal experience!
Just as a mother, I would suggest getting a second opinion. I am a social worker in a neonatal intensive care unit in a hospital in lexington. If you want to email me I could ask my doctors if they could reccommend a pediatric opthamologist that is in Louisville. You definately want to have someone that has experience in pediatric patients and has treated children with strabismus in the past. I am not trying to take anything away from the physican you already saw, but when you are talking about your child possibly having surgery, you should get more than one opinionl. My email is [email protected] and my name is Brittany. Let me konw if you would like me to talk with my doctors.
My 15 year old step son has straubism, had surgery, therapy, etc., so I know you your thoughts and fears right now. I have been in my step-son's life since he was 2, so I've been through most of the problems right along with his mom. He has had glasses since he was 18 months. His original eye doctor, who was elderly, never recommended anything but the corrective lenses. When that doctor passed away, Braydon was almost 7, and the new doctor started recommending home therapy with a patch to make him use the bad eye. Since he lived with his mother, we did not have much control, and she hardly ever made him do it because he got frustrated, so needless to say, it was a loosing battle at our house. I then did a ton of research on the internet and found out so much more over the internet. We then tried the surgery at age 10, but again, you have to keep using the patch & do therapy at home after the surgery. At age 12 we switched eye doctors again and he basically eliminated the corrective lenses all together. Luckily through all of this he has managed to do fine in school and this summer he passed driver's ed with flying colors. He has an appointment in October for a check up, but you can hardly tell anymore, it's almost like he grew out of it. I'm sure the surgery helped, because they shortened the muscle so his eye was straighter, but we'll never really know for sure. I guess I don't really have a recommendation, I just thought maybe sharing my story would help. I would get a second opinion, and probably try therapy for a while before you jump into surgery, but if you are going to do surgery, I would try it before he starts school. Please feel free to email me personally if you would like. Good luck.
I just wanted to let you know that surgery is not the only option. I am currently in school for massage therapy. I go to Alexandria School of Scientific Theraputics, Inc and just this last week we were talking about this. Surgery should be used as a last resort. Going to a massage therapist can actually probably correct this without the need for therapy. The phone number to the school is 1-800-622-8756. Call the school and ask for a past graduate's name that lives in your area. Most of the Alexandria graduates have training in Pfrimmer (pronounced Frimmer) Deep Tissue Massage. This is what would probably be the best thing to help correct that problem. But I would call and ask for the name of someone in your area and it would never hurt to talk to a massage therapist about it. I wish you well. Any other questions about the school then leave me a message.
A+ to you for doing some research! you have to think how do doctors make their money?? especially specialist... by seeing patients... your child.... i would look in to therapy i know there is therapy out there and surgery is not the only thing you can do! i worked in a day car any may times the parents were simply told to put a patch over the good eye to strengthen the lazy eye... now im not a doctor so i would talk to your doctor about this first but i dont think you need to rush right in to surgery... you may also want to try and find another doctor for a 2nd or maybe even 3 opinion! good luck!
Hello! I have suffered from Strabismus since I was born and was never able to have it corrected through an alternative. This is just my case which was a severe one because I do not have vision in the eye affected. I had the eye muscle surgery when I was 18, and now at the age of 25 all effects of the surgery have depleted and my eye is again 'lazy'. Thsi indeed could be due to the fact that strengthening the muscles through the therapy was not an option due to the lack of vision. I just think before any surgical procedure is taken that the question of how long the affects of that procedure will last should be answered. Because it was not for me, and now I might have to continue to have the surgery over and over. I wish you all the best and hope that in some way this helps!!
Well, first I would like to thank everyone for their advice. We ended up finding a doctor that specializes in the therapy for Strabismus, and after chacking out my son advised that he does see well out of both eyes. He explained that since his vision is fine that therapy is not needed, even after the surgery. However, he did remind me (the specialist also told me this as well) that some children will need additional surgery in the future—there is a 30% chance for more surgery. He suggested that the surgery be cosmetic only, but warned that if my son’s vision ever changes and he starts to have problems, to consider the therapy before another surgery. We have decided to go ahead and have the surgery to fix the way the eyes look, but definitally plan on keeping the therapy doctors advice.
I am so glad that I signed up on this site, it would be so much easier and less stressful if motherhood came with a users guide or even an Idiots guide When it comes to health issues I always end up second guessing myself since there is so much conflicting information available, and I never know what to trust! So thank you to everyone for your information, similar situations and choices that were made. All of your help is appreciated!
When it comes to health issues I always end up second guessing myself since there is so much conflicting information available, and I never know what to trust! So thank you to everyone for your information, similar situations and choices that were made. All of your help is appreciated!