10.11.09 / Long-Sighted and Lazy Eyes, Parenting, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (10)
Tags: Ambylopia, chart, eye, Hypermetropia, ISEC, IUGR, lazy, long sighted, Ophthalmologist, Paediatric, snellen
Over in just 1.5 year putting on the corrective super thick glasses, QQ’s long sighted power has reduced tremendously from 950 degree to now only 650 degree. Initially we thought it is something to be happy about, but not so.
Despite with corrective glasses, QQ can only sees up to Level 4 on the Snellen Eye Chart (known as 6/10) due to her lazy eyes problem. Anything smaller than that, her brains shut down automatically so eyes refuse to focus, hence labeled as Lazy Eyes. By standard, anyone should be able to focus up to Level 6 (Pilot minimum requirement without glasses) or people wearing their corrective glasses.
It is really sad for hubby and I as we can imagine how bad it is (for her brain too). Hey, I can see up to the smallest print with my naked eyes and with glasses, short sighted hubby can go beyond 6 too! According to paed, QQ has only another 1.5 years chance to cure her lazy eyes (usually by eye maturity by age 7). If she can read up to Level 6, power reduced or not is no longer a concern as that can be cured easily by laser once she reaches 21.
Both of us feel so bad that we cannot stop blaming ourselves for this late discovery. If only she is treated earlier, chances will be higher for 100% cure. We can only pray and do our best for her now. Oh yes, we also rented a CAM Visual Stimulator Machine for her when we got her new glasses yesterday (will post about this machine and activities we can do with her eyes later). See if I can get a camcorder to record how activities are done with this machine.
However we are indeed thankful to
- her kindergarden teacher, Mrs Tan, who suspected QQ’s eyesight problem in school and our SIL
- Dr Cheong Yee Fong of ISEC, Mid Valley (eye specialist with sub specialist interest in children eye diseases and squint)
- Optometrist Y.K. Leong (shop with widest range of kid’s frames and special glasses situtated beside Atria Damansara)
It is indeed a blessing for QQ, really.
Sypmtoms shown when she was a child
Why you must bring your child for a 2nd opinion (especially to the right doctor)
How QQ initially dislike wearing her first pair of glasses
Power reduction of 200 degree after wearing glasses for one year
22.04.08 / Long-Sighted and Lazy Eyes, Parenting, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (30)
Tags: check up, chicken, cousin, eye, glasses, little, nose, QQ, specs
This is how my Chicken Little looks now, just like her little cousin.
Don’t you think it looks more like a magnifying glass than specs? When I look at her eyes, and it is sad to see the beauty of her eyes have been covered up and instead she looks like a “fly” with the bigger eyes 
She does not feel comfortable wearing glasses and she would take off her glasses the moment I picked her up from school. Furthermore, the heavy weight of the glasses is pressing against her nose although we already have it done super slim as her long-sighted degree is too high.
I am sad to see it leaves marks there and wonder will she has low nose since her developing nose bone is still growing.
Nevertheless, I suppose it is a blessing that we find out about her condition now and not later. Also we cannot forget the moment of amusement and happiness when QQ first sees her pores on the skin when she first put on her glasses at the Optometrist.
Thanks to all who shared their experience and express their concern towards QQ’s condition.
Previous post:
Useful info for children’s eye check up
We found out Qi almost can’t see
21.04.08 / Long-Sighted and Lazy Eyes, Parenting, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (34)
Tags: Hypermetropia, ISEC, Ophthalmologist, Optometrist, Paediatric, YK Leong
Last Saturday we went for a 2nd opinion with another Consultant Optalmologist. He confirmed our first finding was accurate but we were disappointed with the way he casually diagnose QQ’s situation.
QQ’s condition: Hypermetropia of 950 degree
Paediatric Ophthalmologist corrective action:
Use glasses of 800 degree (differential of 150 degree only). As kids muscle is flexible, they can adjust quickly to the new condition and most importantly, the eyes must be treated as soon as possible before it is too late (brain cell almost stop develops/develop slowly by the age of 6 and the eyes nerve could die off and into lazy eye.
Normal Ophthalmologist corrective action:
Use glasses of 600 degree. Emphasis on gradual adjustment by only using 2/3 from the actual condition so that the child can slowly adjust to the change and would not be dizzy with the dramatic change. Tell us that is it in fact good to let her be a bit short-sighted so that it could cure her long sighted which we really cannot accept at all.
Children especially babies are at the growing stage, and their eye muscle and brain work differently from an adult. Therefore going to the right Ophthalmologist that is familiar with children’s condition is very important.
2 VERY Important Issues when you bring your child for a check up:
1. Going to the right Ophthalmologist for your child
Our very few Paediatric Ophthalmologist that I know of:
1. Goverment: UMMC (Prof Visvaraja S.,Dr Choo M.M., Dr Nurliza K.)
2. Private: ISEC (Dr.Choong Yee Fong)
Dr.Choong is very good with the kid (I supposed all Paediatric is Phsiologically trained to handle children) and gave us a very thorough explaination on QQ’s eye situation. Furthermore, ISEC has got a proper set-up room with eye stimulation toys and lighting to test the kids vision.
2. Getting a good Optometrist who is experience in handling children’s glasses
Wearing the suitable glasses (with high accuracy measurement and angle of the lenses is very important. Best if your eye specialist could recommend a good one. We were very lucky to find a very good one Optometrist that can even “communicate well” with children (even my super fussy hubby admit he is that good)
Name of shop: YK Leong (also name of the Optometrist)
Location: Damansara Jaya (just facing the entrance to Giant Supermarket at Wisma Atria).
20.04.08 / Long-Sighted and Lazy Eyes, Parenting, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (2)
Tags: Ambylopia, eye, Hypermetropia, ISEC, IUGR, lazy, long sighted, Ophthalmologist, Paediatric
Our heart sank yesterday with the findings. We did not even realise this set of beautiful active eyes of our little girl almost can’t see since she was born. She is having very rare high degrees of Hypermetropia (long sighted of 950 degree) which can cause Ambylopia (lazy eye) if not treated by 6 years old. We were both too silly not to suspect anything amiss earlier when our girl has such behaviour:
- over timid and got frightened at very slight sound (she must have extremely sensitive hearing)
- always look at things too near (be it books or computer)
- walk tip toeing until now (as she can’t even see the level of the floor or balance herself)
- does not enjoy TV or cartoon much since young, even though with the best theater seating in cinema.
- have tendency to vomit so frequently (probably due to dizziness??)
Blamed it on us for agreed to our gynae to induce her delivery as soon as she reaches 36 weeks (when she stopped moving)? Blamed it on that this baby stopped growing in womb as my amniotic fluid was too low? Blamed it on the fact that I failed to carry her healthily that she was born an IUGR baby? Blamed it to stupid inherited eyesight genes which we still couldn’t figure out who else had it besides her little cousin?
I see little kids and even a baby with a tube from throat that seek help on eye treatment when we visited the Paediatric Ophthalmologist in ISEC yesterday. My mind is blank now. I cannot think of anything anymore. Even the babies in my womb now are having a high risk of the same problem and will required to go through the eye test by the time they reaches 3 month-old.
Hubby is too sad by the facts. Our girl has been living in a very blur world for 4 years of her live. She has not even seen mummy’s face clearly until today. Hubby said we should not have kids if we are not medically fit to have babies or be parents after all.
I am closing the comment as I could not bear to read any comment now. However I understand your kind concern. We will seek a 2nd opinion and do another test with another Ophthalmologist tomorrow.
24.11.07 / Family, Long-Sighted and Lazy Eyes, Parenting, finance / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (19)
Tags: squint
See this New Chicken Little?
This is QQ’s 1+ year little cousin brother.
This condition is called squint (or “tau kai ngan” in Cantonese) where one eye may turn inwards, outwards, up, or down. When one eye turns the eyes can no longer work together as a pair and a squint develops.
This condition can develop before birth (especially if the baby is delivered pre-matured) or soon after birth.
According to specialist, untreated squints can lead to loss of vision (lazy eye) in the squinting eye. That’s why sometimes we see adults with squint tend to look another side as if the eye is not longer function looking at us when we are talking to them.
This little baby is lucky that her mum discovered this situation very early. The only way to save his right eye from permanent damaged is to wear a very special baby specs which is so pricey not to mention the treatment itself.
Thank goodness we are all blessed with beautiful and healthy child. Just imagine how horrible if the parents are in bad debt and has to seek for debt solutions to pay for their child’s expensive treatment……*phiew*