Glasses

sundaesprinkles · December 2013

A couple of weeks ago we found out that DS needs to wear glasses. The whole story is kind of crazy. My friend had taken a flash photo of DS on her phone that was really cute, so I asked her to send it to me. She did, and I wanted to post it on Facebook but first I had to edit it to get rid of the red eye from the flash. I tried using a photo editing app to get rid of it and it only worked for one eye because the other eye had more of a white reflection than red. So I googled "how to get rid of white eye in photo". (I didn't know what else to call it other than white eye.) I ended up unintentionally finding all sorts of links and articles talking about how a white reflection from the eyes in a flash photo can be a sign of major eye problems, including cancer. I freaked out of course. I also took a lot more flash photos of him and found some of those also turned out to have a white reflection in the same eye. After reading a bunch about it the next day I decided to make an appointment with a pediatric ophthalmologist. At first they said they couldn't see him until January but after telling them about the white eye they got us in the very next day and told me to bring the pictures.

So we had a full exam done and luckily the doctor found nothing wrong as far as cancer or a cataract. He looked at my photos and told me that it must have been because of the angle of his face to the flash. He wasn't facing the camera completely straight in these particular pictures. But he said that DS did have a problem. He said that all babies and toddlers are some what far-sighted until their eyes finish growing into the correct shape. But DS's eyes are twice as far-sighted than they should be for his age. This causes his eye muscles to strain more to focus at mid-range and close distances, which could eventually cause one or both of his eyes to turn inward which could mean having to have surgery later on to fix it. So he wants him to wear glasses three hours a day to lessen the strain on his eyes as a preventative measure. The prescription doesn't make his vision 20/20, but corrects it to normal for his age. This doesn't necessarily mean he will have bad vision when he's older, so hopefully as he grows it will correct itself.

We were a little shocked. We had absolutely no indications that DS had any vision problems, but of course it is normal for DS as it's all he's ever known. It's just weird that if it wasn't for a fluke bit of googling to fix a picture taken on a whim, we would have never known. I don't really understand why pediatricians don't send all babies for a eye check-up at around 6 months or so. But anyway we ordered the glasses and they came in on Friday. So far he's doing pretty good with them. Here's my little Harry Potter:

fancefpp · December 2013

Wow, what a story! That's so great they were able to see you quickly and address the problem right away. Glad they took you seriously too - good for you for advocating for your little man! And, seriously, he's the cutest thing I've ever seen with those glasses!! I'd stare at him all day!

Oohgurl · December 2013

That is crazy! You may not have found out for years! He is seriously seriously cute in those glasses!!

CNJ4EVA · December 2013

He Looks Really Cute In Them!

huzzahuzza · December 2013

WOW what a story! He looks totally adorable in those glasses!!!

sundaesprinkles · December 2013

Thanks ladies. I wanted to share my experience but I wasn't sure how to go about it. I didn't want to scare anyone by sharing what I read online.

JoJo716 · December 2013

I am sorry you had to go through that! However, he does look adorable! Thank you for posting because I am so worried about ds's vision. I really want to take him to an ophthalmologist because I had/have horrible vision. I have a really bad astigmatism and dh has bad vision as well. My ped said he did not need to go to the eye doctor until he was 4 but with our history, I am thinking about taking him sooner.

RoxZ32 · December 2013

Oh I just want to squeeze him. HE LOOKS ADORABLE!

flyliceandcoffee · December 2013

I'm really glad you shared that. I have really bad vision and I'm always a little paranoid about S getting my eyes. I'll have to keep an eye on her pictures now!

Also, you have the cutest baby in glasses EVAR!

HZ2012 · December 2013

Seriously - cutest kid!! He looks adorable!
Totally crazy how you stumbled upon that info. Good for you for taking precaution and going to the dr.

mommatotwo2 · December 2013

Wow good catch momma!! And I'll add my voice to the rest, he looks adorable!!!!!!!

Kashy · December 2013

He is seriously cute with those glasses!!!

I think I read or heard about this a while back. I didn't really think much of it at the time. Good catch for you guys!

1and1is3 · December 2013

omg! He is sooooo fricken cute in those glasses!!!! (Yes, I realize I am over doing the exclamation points... that's how cute he is). My niece had to have glasses as a baby (she is 19 now) and her eyes went back to normal by the time she was 3 (it may have been before that but I remember for sure by 3). Thanks for sharing your story and pics of your adorable baby.

stephzrn · December 2013

That is the cutest picture!!! He is so adorable!!!

MrsM1111 · December 2013

He is too cute! An itty-bitty Harry Potter indeed!

A girlfriend's daughter wore glasses for 18mo and now at 3.5yrs her eyes are just fine. She said that the doctor said its a correction that needs to be made in lots of infants/toddlers and it wasn't something to fret over.

watuzzigal · December 2013

Super cute--with glasses or without. He rocks the HP look though!

sundaesprinkles · December 2013

@LaurenJeff10

He didn't have anything like you described (which sounds interesting by the way). All they did was the traditional eye exam, you know where they dilate your eyes and look in them with a light. The doctor explained that depending on how the light reflected on the back of the eye they can tell if you are far-sighted or near-sighted and by how much. They also briefly checked his peripheral vision before they dilated his eyes by clicking a pen at the sides of his head and seeing if he followed it (which he did).

sundaesprinkles · December 2013

And by the way DH has perfect eyes;he's never needed glasses. I was mildly near-sighted. (I had trouble seeing the board in school once I became a teenager, but no horrible vision problems.) I also had astigmatism. But when I was in college I got LASIK, so no more contacts for me.

motang · December 2013

Wow, great job following up on that after seeing it in your search. Some may have ignored it hoping it was nothing. You found it early and that will be beneficial for your LO, I'm sure.
He is absolutely adorable in those glasses.

snowgirl427 · December 2013

Great catch! I don't think I would have realized it's an issue.

And holy smokes what a cutie pie!

sundaesprinkles · December 2013

I can't help but emphasize that it was just a lucky coincidence that I found out he needs glasses.

What I thought I saw in the picture was not a symptom of far-sightedness, but basically a symptom of cancer. And it's not even that I saw something that worried me and googled it. At first I attributed it to a regular photo error and I was simply googling how to fix it because I liked the picture and wanted to put it on Facebook. It just so happened that the wording I used led me to the info of warming signs of retinoblastoma. I tried to shrug it off but almost all the links that had come up were about eye cancer. Only then did I read more about it and decide I had to get DS checked out for my own peace of mind. Then we get there and find out that he was too far-sighted, a totally different problem that there are no symptoms for. The only symptom would eventually be his eye turning inward, which it may or may not have done.

I only shared the back story because I thought it was a weird twist of fate that my friend from out of state that I haven't seen in person for four years took a spur-of-the-moment picture which in turn made me google how to correct the flash reflex and then I came across these warnings of eye cancer so I bring him to the doctor. And (luckily) I was wrong about the eye cancer but it just so happens he has this other problem of being too far-sighted. If it hadn't been for that eventually his eye/s may have started to turn inward and only then would I have brought him in. By then he would have likely needed to wear glasses all day to try and correct it or possibly need surgery.

That's why I think it would be a good idea for every baby to get a vision check up at 6 months or so because if it wasn't for this flukey occurrence I might not have known until much later when he may have needed surgery.

Sorry for being so wordy but I feel guilty for getting too much credit. My MIL keeps making me out to be a hero to her co-workers (she's a nurse) and I keep trying to tell her it was just a fluke that got me to take him to the doctor.

snowgirl427 · December 2013

You never get too much credit when following through!

Lolalipsy · December 2013

Wow, very glad you got his eyes checked. By the way he looks absolutely adorable in his new glasses.

telicious2 · December 2013

What a cutie!! I am happy that it was nothing serious.

telicious2 · December 2013

Thanks @Lildoll513! I went to the website and found a Dr under this program. I will be making an appt soon!

jayro10 · December 2013

I actually know of a family whose baby had retinoblastoma, diagnosed when she was about 6 months. The pedi noticed the white/red thing while checking her eyes with his light. She ended up having one eye removed before she was a year old. They thought they would have to remove the other eye too, but luckily they were able to save it. She now has a glass eye and is 2 years old. The cancer has never come back.

@makeupgeek your little boy looks precious in his new glasses! I'm so glad it was nothing serious and I hope his eyes are easily corrected. Hugs!

pnutg · December 2013

Way cute! I'm definitely asking about an eye exam at our next pedi appt!

SpanFran · December 2013

I love our resident hipster baby! Good job Mom!

rebaann · December 2013

First, he looks adorable in them. Second, I'm glad such a chance thing let you catch this early and correct it and that it wasn't anything more serious.

Boo0512 · December 2013

I'm sure the glasses add an extra challenge for you so I'm sorry for that but he looks adorable!

strawny0807 · December 2013

Wow that is crazy! Happy it isn't cancer or cataracts. Your DS looks so freaking adorable in glasses!!!

lizziebooper · December 2013

So cute, glad it wasnt anything too serious. When I was pregnant for DS I had my annual eye exam and he said he wanted me to come back when the baby was 6 months old because that is a good time to check their eyes to "catch" anything before it is too late. he said often parents don't come in till there is a problem and by then it either takes longer to fix or is too late.

Shoegal36 · December 2013

Awww I have such a soft spot for babies in glasses, SO cute!!

So glad to hear it was nothing more serious!

Getting LO's eyes checked has never even crossed my mind...

Schell2013 · December 2013

He is the cutest little one I have ever seen in glasses! Seriously! Glad he is ok and not minding his new specs!

jedimindtrick · December 2013

Love your little Harry potter. Glad it's not too serious.

sundaesprinkles · December 2013

jgp13 said:

I don't know if I'm welcome back here yet, but I just wanted to offer you my support and let you know I'm here if you have any questions about eye surgeries, glasses, contacts, pediatric ophthalmology, etc. HC just started wearing glasses in the evenings. I think they are the same as your son's but a lot thicker! Haha. If you want to know more about HC's condition, you can read about it on my blog: www.waitingforbabypettus.com

Thank you. When we got the news about Logan needing to wear glasses I immediately thought of you and HC. Glad to see you are still around.