Eye exam

[plukids]

Sylvie has an appointment with the opthomalogist coming up. I was wondering.....how long does an eye exam take? I know they will dilate her eyes and then what???

[Jennifer]

Emily had one at about 6 months. They dialated her eyes, we had to wait 20 minutes and then they took her back to the office and turned the lights down- had her follow some lights and watch different things- just to see how she was reacting and what not. SHe wasn't very participative though- so I think it was cut short- also, being so young- they couldn't really do everything.... guess I didn't really help like I planned on????

good luck at the appointment!

[MikenAustinsMommy]

Austin's first eye appintment took about 3 hours. They called us in about 45 mins after the appt time, we waited in the room for about 10 to 15 mins, then they came in and put drops in his eyes. The drops take 45 mins to take effect so they sent us back to the waiting room. An hour later they called us back in and again we waited in the room for about 10 to 15 mins. They did a thorough check up using all sorts of different machines and prisms. We left about 3.5 hours after we arrived.

His follow-up visits took about 2 hours each.

[verdon2]

Is this a normal routine for kids all together or just cranio related children?(the eye exams) Bear with me, Maggie is my first baby, I still don't know what to expect!!!!!:shrug

[KALEMSMOM]

Lisa, we had 2 eye exams. One before surgery and the other afterwards and both times they diluted Kalem's eyes. It didn;t seem to bother him at all. He just didn't like the fact that we were putting drops in his eyes. But he seemed completely fine. He did all of the tests like a trooper. The entire exam lasted about 10 min before diluting and 10 minutes afterwards. We waited a 1/2 hour after diluting. We just waited an awfully long time in the waiting room 4 hrs!!! I hope that's not the case for you.

Amy, we were referred to the opthamologist by our PS before and after surgery, especially because of the FOA. Were you not referred?

[plukids]

Thanks so much guys! Our appointment is the 17th and I just really need to know a time frame as I have kids in school and have to figure out the bus. Looks like I need MIL to help me!! I'm sure she'll do great.....I'll keep you all posted!

Aimee, We were referred by our PS just to check because of the cranio & surgery.

[Jennifer]

Aimee- The only reason I was refferred is that Emily had a tilt (mild torticollis) and it was just to rule out anything with the eyes. Neither of my other kids have been.......


Is this a normal routine for kids all together or just cranio related children?(the eye exams) Bear with me, Maggie is my first baby, I still don't know what to expect!!!!!:shrug

[ExpatJen]

Lisa,
Audrey had 2 eye exams - one when she was a few months old (cranio hadn't yet been diagnosed and the doctors thought something was wrong with her left eye because it appeared so much larger than the other - of course now we know it was the orbit and not the eye). That first exam took about an hour. The doctor examed the eyes first with a large instrument on a stand, then put drops in and we waited about half an hour, then we went into an examining room with no windows so it could be dark and another exam was done. Audrey, as a baby, didn't like this (I'm sure in the dark it was scary) but it didn't last long. I have to say, when we first walked into the doctor's office he said she was probably blind in that eye (can you imagine!) so I was a completely on edge the entire time. Then, in a puzzled tone, he said her eye was fine but that something was wrong. That's when he said it could be the orbit that had the problem. Unfortunately, cranio wasn't mentioned and I was clueless. So a few years past with no diagnosis and when cranio was finally diagnosed we were sent once again to an opthamologist (this time one familiar with cranio) to see if, in letting all that time pass, her eye was damaged by the cranio) - so once again we were worried about her eye. This exam took about 2 hours from start to finish. First we saw one doctor who did an eye test (with charts, asking what she saw) and then looked at her eye with some instruments. Then the drops were given (Audrey was fine with that) and then we waited a half hour before going back in for the same doctor to test her eyes again. We were told all looked fine but had to wait for the professor to take a look. This professor looked at Audrey's eyes in the light and dark as well as with a larger instrument with telescope-like attachments (sorry, I have no idea what they are called). She was given the all clear and I finally exhaled! It wasn't a difficult experience from Audrey's perspective, if that helps you at all. She thought it was rather interesting.

Best of luck with the exam,
Jennifer C.

[Katie]

Dillon has also had two exams. The first one was a check because of his head tilt, but often cranio kids are referred because of the cranio. The first time took 2 and a half or three hours if I remember right. They called us back to put the drops in and then we went back to the waiting room for about 45 minutes. The Dr. examined Dillon using various lights and lenses, as well as checking eye movement using toys across the room. At that point he was diagnosed with a moderate astigmatism, but no eye muscle problems.
He had his follow up last month, which didn't require dialation so it was much faster. The exam itself was about the same, lights, lenses, and toys. This time the Dr. said there was some shifting in his muscles, but it was mild ad he would just keep an eye on it.
The dialation drops don't hurt them, but being held down can be scary. Once it's over they forget all about it and carry on playing with waiting room toys :giggle
Good luck, I'm sure Sylvie will do wonderful :hugg

[Rhonda O]

Zachary was referred because of the cranio. He has an eye appt on April 18. I am a little nervous to see how it goes. He had an exam last year but it wasn't with an opthamalogist (my bad), so he will have a different dr this time.

[craniomommynbaby]

Same for us. Our ns gave us the name of the optho to have Simon's eyes checked before surgery and then again after surgery. Both times, they did some tests with patterns and toys to see how he tracked objects, and then they did the dialation to look closer. I think the appointments took about 3 hours for us as well. The first appointment, he only cried when being held down for the drops. The second appointment, he did not cry once.

[plukids]

Thanks for all of the great info. I feel much better prepared! Can you believe I was thinking I could have pictures taken that day????!!!! after her appointment! Silly me! I did not think of the dilation part or how it might effect her with a flash!!!:doh We go 1 week from today. I'll keep you posted.

[MikenAustinsMommy]

Another thing.... both times Austin has had his eyes dialated, they stayed dialated until the next day. The first time was almost exactly 24 hrs, but the second time it was about 30 hours

[plukids]

Wow I guess I did not realize they would be dilated that long. Is light hard for them?

[MikenAustinsMommy]

Our optho told me to keep Austin out of the direct light for the rest of the day.

I read somewhere, though I don't remember where, that blue eyes are a lot more sensitive to the sun than darker eyes are, so I'm not sure if his eyes stayed dialated longer because of that or not

[MikenAustinsMommy]

How did the optho appointment go?

[Rhonda O]

Yes, Lisa, how did it go? Zachary had his appt on Tuesday and he did well except he did not like to sit still. The dr said that everything looked great.

[plukids]

HI All! Rhonda I am so glad to hear that Zachary did well. HOORAY! Sylvie passes the test, too! The Opthomalogist said her eyes are perfect. No need to follow up unless we are concerned somewhere down the line! I was overjoyed. She did great. I got there and filled out their new patient forms. We waited maybe 10 minutes then were taken back to a room the doctor came in did maybe a 10 minute history and evaluation then placed drops in her eyes. She did great with the drops. Basically she grunted and that was that. We then went into the waiting room for 30 minutes. They then brought us back to the room and the doctor came in and did his exam which lasted maybe 10 more minutes. HOORAY Zachary & Sylvie Girl!