4 year old on a high optical prescription - any advice?

hieveryone

Hello 

I took my 4 year old for an eye test after I noticed he was squeezing his eye shut at times and looking over the bridge of his nose at things. I thought I was being overly cautious and a bit over the top, but it turns out he has a pretty high prescription and he has also been referred to the hospital. 

I'm so devastated by this and have been Googling into what caused this, and what I can do to help him. 

Can anyone offer any advice? His prescription is +6.5 on one eye and +6 on the other. I've had a wee look through his glasses just now and wow they are strong. How could he be seeing anything before?! 

Does this get better? Is this something that can be resolved or will he have glasses forever? 

I should have asked at the opticians but I was so upset at the time I just left. 

Thank you

theoretica

If he has been referred to the hospital then there will probably be someone there best placed to answer your questions.  Perhaps it would help you to prepare by writing them down and making sure you prioritise the most important ones.  If they don't have time to answer everything,or refer you to specific resources which match his situation, maybe the optician he saw would find time to talk with you?

This site does not allow medical advice, but being taken aback on initially getting news and thinking of more questions later is normal.

Savvy_Sue

Very good advice above, but please in your googling don't beat yourself up and think that YOU did anything to cause this! You've done the very best thing by going to the optician, of course it was a shock to realise that there's a problem, but sometimes these things are not picked up until the child is in school and struggling. 

Work with nursery / pre-school / school as well: they need to know and may have good strategies for helping him. They may also be able to point you to books which will help him understand about wearing his glasses etc. 

annabanana82

My Son had his eyes tested at school they were +3.5 and was referred to the eye hospital. We panicked thinking something was really wrong but the referral is just standard practice for their age.