It’s been awhile since I’ve published an intermittent exotropia post/update. Mostly because we haven’t had another Ophthalmologist appointment and nothing new to report. Since I’ve received quite a few inquiries from parents with children that have the same or similar conditions, I thought it would be nice to share some helpful resources.
Incase you missed my previous posts on this topic you can find them on my Intermittent Exotropia Page.
First, a quick update on my little one (Alivia). We are currently patching her eye for 1 1/2 – 2 hours each night in hopes to avoid deterioration or vision loss. At our last doctor’s appointment, though she did excellent on her eye tests (mommy was super proud), they found her exotropic (left) eye was a smiggin’ weaker than her left. Nothing serious by any means, but patching was an opportunity for us to reverse even the slightest deterioration. I am super curious to see how she does on her next exam and set of eye tests. I’ll be sure to post an update at that time.
INTERESTING FACTS (symptoms of intermittent exotropia):
When Alivia was a baby (about 10 months old), I noticed she was rubbing her eye a lot outside. She would either squint or cover her eyes with her hands even when she was shaded. Curious as to why she was so sensitive to light I looked it up online. With only a couple clicks of my mouse, I found myself on pages like WebMD. Since Alivia had already been diagnosed with Intermittent Exotropia, I had a feeling the sensitivity to light may be a symptom. Sure enough I was right. Although this symptom does not occur in all children with this condition, I still thought it was worth mentioning. Other symptoms that NOT all children may have (also from WebMD):
- blurred vision
- tired eyes
- double vision
With that said, I make sure to carry her sunglasses where ever we go. They seem to work well and she just happens to love wearing them! Seriously, I don’t know how I got so lucky with this kid! She’s a gem!
FUN STUFF:
Now on to some fun stuff. If you are patching or thinking about using this method, I found these great decorative eye patches! If you are going to do it, I say “do it right”! Alivia loves to pick out a different patch every night.
Picture source: Amazon.com
- Girls Ortopad Patch
- Boys Ortopad Patch
- Elastic Band Patches in assorted colors
I also found the following book. I have not read it only because I was fortunate that Alivia took to the patching with little resistance. It took me about a week to get her to wear it. And not just wear it, but seriously ROCK it! Today the first thing she says when mommy puts on her patch is “Arghhhh”! Just like a pirate! Anyhow, since Amazon allows you to take a look inside the book (love this feature), I can definitely say it looks great!
And if your little one wears glasses, no worries…
- Assorted patches to fit over eye glasses (what will they think of next)?
OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES:
Are you doing eye exercises with your child? I do some with Alivia. Have you tried Eye can Learn? It’s a fun website that contains a variety of eye exercises to help with perception, tracking, focusing, and eye teaming! So perfect for eye conditions! I also highly recommend books that help with eye tracking like:
- Where’s Waldo
- Elmo & Friends (My first Look & Find). My little one has Jake and the Neverland Pirates and Team Umizoomi and she loves it!
Or books where you have to find the differences between two or more pictures like:
Other books great for older children:
Do you have a mobile device? Cell phone, iPad, Kindle, Tablet, you get the idea. If so, here are some great EYE APPLICATIONS to download:
- Find Animal
- Find Differences
- Find Difference Little Angel
Even if you find just one helpful item in this post, which I’m confident you will, I’m happy! My job is done. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a comment!
On a different note, I had to post my remaining Easter pictures.
If you missed my previous post Mom’s Monday Mingle Link Up, feel free to check it out and join in the fun!
