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Post by andrewsmom on Jan 9, 2008 19:22:47 GMT -5
Hi everyone!
I was wondering at what age your little ones had their first eye exam. I'd also like to know how they were tested, if you don't mind sharing.
Andrew had his eyes tested by the school nurse and she sent me home a letter refering him to an eye doctor. She said he didn't understand what she wanted him to do for the test at school and I'm wondering how he's going to "get it" with an eye doctor...does that make sense?
I honestly don't have any concerns about his sight...he sees better then anyone I know...LOL! He can pick my son out of a crowd at a football game, or half way around a track. He also reads with me all the time and never pulls the book close or pushes it away. Just wondering if this is all going to be worth it..kwim? Thanks!
-Trisha
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Post by tiffany on Jan 9, 2008 19:37:37 GMT -5
When they first tested Leah's eyes, she was about 1 1/2. The eye doc can tell if they can see or not just by dialating the eyes and looking in them. Leah has always had good eye sight. I am kinda wishing she needed glasses because I think they would look soooo cute on her! She gets exams every year. Good luck, Tiffany
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Post by Googsmom aka Jennifer on Jan 9, 2008 20:30:55 GMT -5
Brookster had her first eye test at 5 days old. They used some special "tools" to do what ever it was they were doing. I do believe they were making sure she wasn't blind. She was still at the big hospital then. We've been to the eye doc every other month for her first year because of clogged tear ducts. Making sure no infection was forming. Her tear ducts are all better w/o having surgery thank goodness. And one of her eyes would "look inward". They called it "lazy". That too is all better. Now we go every three months for check-ups and the occasional dialation.(sp?) Her last visit the doc did all kinds of special tests. Put her behind a white wall and used all these funny colored things to do whatever it is eye doctors do They are pretty happy w/ her eye sight. Don't need glasses as of now. Them eye doctors are pretty smart though. I had to come home and call googs specialist one day and ask how in the world can they tell me she can see when she can't even talk to say she is seeing something. She explained it. It's all a bunch of mirrors and special "tools" they have. Ok, I say, you's the doc Good luck w/ your appt
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Post by momofrussell on Jan 9, 2008 21:15:11 GMT -5
Trisha... do you have a good Pediatric Opthamologist in your area? Or ask your ped for a good one. Take him there. They will know from their testing if he can see or not. The school exams are great if you are verbal and can tell them what you are seeing, but a children's eye doc can do much more then that.
They should really go when they are little just to have a check up.. I think it's time!
A.
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Post by dannysmom on Jan 9, 2008 21:41:26 GMT -5
It's funny I should see this post today since Daniel had an eye exam today. He was first about 6 months old when we first saw the ped eye doc. I noticed his eyes shaking back and forth and one of them turned in. He has been seen every 6 month since then. He outgrew the eye shaking as well as the turning in of the eye. He will continue to be seen yearly (I was so happy to hear that today)....just to keep an eye on the vision itself. The alignment of his eyes is good and for now, his sight is good. They did several tests today, some as simple has holding a pencil type thing in front of his eyes to see how he tracked it and to see the alignment. They also had him look through some different lenses while they shined a light in his eye. And the final one was this machine that he looked in and it actually tested how well he was seeing. They dialated his eyes for that one. They were able to tell if he was near or far sighted by that particular test. He was slightly nearsighted 6 months ago, and today....there was no change. That was a good thing...since at this point no glasses are needed.
Edited to add: Daniel is 2 1/2. He was able to understand that the doc wanted him to look into the light and track this or that. He didn't like it when the doctor held his head but other than that, he was able to cooperate with what the doctor wanted. The equipment is what measured his sight....not his actual participation or responses.
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Post by CC on Jan 9, 2008 22:10:43 GMT -5
At 3 years old Chris went to a specialist for his first eye check. At 4 years old I found an eye Doctor in our area that had lots of experience with ones with DS and at 4 Chris was not talking but she was able to know what was going on with his eyes with all her fancy equipment. He got his first pair of glasses at 4 and wears them all day long and first thing he grabs for when he wakes up. At 15 he still wears them and will always need them but he is fine with them ;D
Actually over the years by him wearing his glasses his vision has gotten better, far from perfect but better so that was cool ;D
Honestly when he was just 3/4 there is no way I would have had a clue he needed glasses till he was checked out. I even remember after them telling me he needs them thinking Hmmm how do you really know LOL but I can tell you once he got them he put them on and took them right away as to say "Man thats what things look like" KWIM.
Our Ped when he was born told me to have all these checks yearly as even a slight eye problem or hearing problem could make things harder for Chris KWIM
He now goes for a yearly check which reminds me I think he is due soon.
Best of Luck
CC ~
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Post by katiesmom on Jan 9, 2008 22:29:43 GMT -5
Howdy, Trisha!
Katie has her eyes checked every 6 months or so and we have a great pediatric opthamologist at D'Ambrosio's office in Lancaster. (Over by the Target) His name is Dr. Weisberg and he is great with Katie! She actually likes going to see him.
We'll have to get together to have tea sometime soon, Deane
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Post by twosomy21 on Jan 10, 2008 4:08:47 GMT -5
yes,pediatric opthamologist is great-now if i could find lorens glasses i'll be happy
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Post by meghans_mom on Jan 10, 2008 9:07:26 GMT -5
Meghan was about a year, give or take a few months.... the ped ophth's have ways of testing kids who are not verbal, etc.... here is a flow sheet that tells you when our kids should be tested (for eye stuff and everything else): www.ds-health.com/recordsheet1.htmnow she goes yearly, unless we see "problems" or she's complaining of headaches, etc.
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Post by wrblack on Jan 10, 2008 11:07:05 GMT -5
And a snip from the text of the health care guidelines: www.ds-health.com/health99.htm<<Eye/Vision: Congenital cataracts are a serious problem for infants with DS, leading to vision loss if not detected and treated. The absence of a red reflex is sufficient cause for immediate referral to a pediatric ophthalmologist, as are strabismus and nystagmus. Routine evaluations should begin at 6 months of age, and be performed annually thereafter. Refractive errors are common and will be detected during these evaluations, as would serious, but rarer, conditions, such as keratoconus. Stenotic nasolacrimal ducts may lead to tearing in infancy. Blepharitis and conjunctivitis occur frequently. Keratoconus occurs more frequently in adolescents with DS than in the typical child.>> So, yes, basically, kids with Ds should get real eye exam by 6 months and annual exams thereafter. I probably put too much importance on eye stuff, but not without reason. Charlie was 10 weeks premature. Neonatologist couldn't get a good red reflex in either eye. So called in pediatric ophthalmologist. We stopped by NICU for what I thought was going to be a quick visit, had brought all the big kids for the first time, and I got involved in a 2 1/2 hr. phone consult setting up cataract surgery -- going back and forth with PO, neonatologist, and anesthesiologist. Charlie had his first cataract surgery at 6 days old, 9 weeks before his due date, weighing less than 2 1/2 lbs. So I would emphasize that part about not getting red reflex in neonate calls for immediate referral to PO. Cataract in Charlie's left eye was very large, very central, and very dense. Best chance to get any useful vision in that eye was cataract surgery ASAP. What's going on in the visual cortex is as important as the mechanics of the eyeball. Brain development for vision requires some stimulation during first 4 months. After that can be too late. I think the cataracts that good PO's hate the most are the ones that could have been treated if they had been detected before 4 months of age but weren't. Preventable blindness. In that article from Denmark I was reading yesterday, one case was kid with Ds and congenital cataracts who did not have surgery because the anesthesia would have been too dangerous for his heart defects. So he was blind, and he died at age 18. I used to exchange emails with mom of little guy with Ds who did not have congenital cataracts. Had congenital glaucoma instead. He's had multiple procedures on each eye. Last I heard he had not developed cataracts. He'll be very lucky if he dodges that bullet--cataracts can lead to glaucoma, glaucoma can put you at even higher risk for cataract. Hope he does dodge that bullet. OK, TMI, again. But I think eye exams are important. -- Bob ps Oh, and if you and your pediatrician don't know a good PO, you could find one here, aapos.affiniscape.com/associations/5371/aapos_search.cfm
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Post by Chris too on Jan 10, 2008 15:10:24 GMT -5
Haven't any of you ever had your own eyes checked? Every time my eyes are checked the doc starts with a reading made by a machine. The machine gets pretty close to the correct prescription all by itself. The doc usually makes changes only to correct for my astigmatism. If not for the astigmatism, I wouldn't have to say a word - except the idle chatter I'm accustomed to Chris too
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Post by andrewsmom on Jan 10, 2008 19:00:31 GMT -5
Deane!!!! How are you??? I'm going to e-mail you as soon as I'm done here.
Hey look at that...Dr. Leshin and all...how on Earth did I miss him having to get his eyes tested??? Boy do I feel dumb...LOL!
Ok....so we will be calling for an appointment tomorrow. Thanks so much for all the info.
-Trisha
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Post by Chris on Jan 11, 2008 16:37:37 GMT -5
Sarah had her first eye exam at about 2 weeks old. Now she goes for a yearly checkup.
Chris
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Post by damarasmom on Jan 12, 2008 11:02:53 GMT -5
Hey Tricia! Glad I found you! Miss hearing about your family and of course cutie Andrew...We moved to Texas in May and having some challenges, but over all like it here. Damara has been going to the Opthamologist since she has been around 1ish...she has her eyes tested via equipment since she is not verbal and cannot participate in the school nurse thing! They have special equipment and they also have dialated her eyes too...Not so much fun, but not painful... Good Luck and can't wait to hear more about the family! Kisses to Andrew for us!
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Post by Debbie on Jan 14, 2008 16:34:19 GMT -5
When I was tested at the Childrens Hospital in Houston they told my Mother I would have some vision problems as I grew. Eye exams are very important. I have strabismus, nystagmus, and nearsightedness. I don't have good depth vision either other than that, I can see to go to the mall by myself and such. Yes, I wear glasses.
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