The in-turn has since returned to a lesser degree — which we were told could happen — and our ophthalmologist recommended patching again, which we’ve now done for four months with some success, though there are still days when his eyeballs are skewed (esp. if tired and/or growing) and go back to the eye doctor again next week.

I’m kind of expecting that surgery will be a topic of discussion, but I go directly to the worst case scenario usually, so we’ll see.

not that this sounds like what’s going on with sophie, but if patching counts as “therapy” then I guess it’s an option. my wife and I did some (very little) research on “vision therapy” and thought it sounded like a bit of a crock. Our pediatrician, who is as open-minded to alternative therapies as we can expect from a western-trained doc kind of rolled her eyes when we asked her about that.

I’m with maya, though, on getting my kid to sit still for an actual therapy session. when we patch, we have to put “wings” on archer so he doesn’t yank the patch off…

also in agreement about eye surgery not being too big a deal, though any time they wheel your kid away from you in a hospital, i think your heart’s required to stop for a bit.

One of the most famous eye muscle specialists, Von Noorden, understood the value of therapy and. surgery; he practiced both:

http://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/dept/orthoptc/orthop.htm

Vision therapy and eye muscle surgery can be appropriate and effective in those cases in which it is appropriate. The health care consumer’s task is to find a scientific doctor whose mind is not closed and who can first render the correct diagnosis. You will not get the correct diagnosis from a doctor who does not know when orthoptics is more appropriate than surgery, i.e. one who is so callous as to say he does not believe in it.

Granted, there are come charlatans who have given vision therapy a bad name; even then, why knock it when it has provided relief for folks? Heck, I don’t “believe in” acupuncture because I cant’ explain it. Or aroma therapy, for that matter. So what, if it works for someone else?

I think it really depends on what her specific issue is. For Leo, who had a lazy eye, our doctor said surgery was the only option (not trying to scare you since this is not Sophie’s issue). But our dr said point blank that many people try to do “exercises” for what Leo had and they don’t work and they end up needing surgery.

Do you think Sophie would cooperate with “vision therapy”? (Cause my big thing is I KNEW Leo would not flipping do any exercises-course he was 3 1/2 at the time). I will also say that as terrifying as the prospect of eye surgery was, it was not a big deal at all and I am so glad we went through with it. If you can do open heart surgery, you can do eye surgery (but of course hoping you don’t have to, I just don’t want you to freak out about it and certainly don’t freak out yet!

I would get a second opinion. I will also say that I have found that therapists and doctors almost routinely NEVER agree. In fact they seem flat out spiteful of each other! I had an almost fight go on between Leo’s PT and his orthotist (is that the right term?). The PT was convinced Leo’s orthotics did not fit while the dr who fit them pronounced them “perfect.”

That’s my round about way of second opinion. What does your mom gut tell you?
And also, totally blow off work tomorrow.
But you knew that.