Over the past week or so I have notices an unusual glow in my babies left eye. I am aware of Retinoblastoma which causes a glow in the pupil of a babies eye from light bouncing off of the tumor, but this glow is on the outer edge of the iris of his eye. It comes and goes but it is always the same size, in the exact same spot and is visible several times during the day. It is more visible when he turns his eye inward (towards his nose). Due to concerns of a form of cancer/tumor I got a rush appointment at a family eye doctor yesterday. The intern saw spots in both eyes as well as abnormal eye reflexes. The Dr. came in, looked at his eyes for 30 seconds and said that he saw farsightedness that may need a prescription, said that he THINKS he will be fine and wants to re-check in 3 months. I do not feel comfortable with that long of a wait considering what is at risk. We have another rush appointment with a pediatric opthamologist tomorrow (7-1-11) but I am worried! Has anybody else had any experience with anything like this?
Thank you ladies for your advice/support! We just got home from Dr. Troia's office and after a thorough examination he determined that he has astigmatism in both eyes and is extremely far sighted. The glow is due to him having very dark eyes and a darker skin pigmentation, he said that sometimes there can be a glow in the eye from the iris running over into the sclera and causing what looks like a glow/bright light. We go back in a year to have his eyes re-checked and to get cute little glasses :)
I have been told to wait many times to see if things improve or get better with my son. So far every problem has resolved. Including his eye looking like it sinks into his skull farther at times. Really weird, but it would happen for me and not the doctor. So IF the ophthalmologist says to wait, then there really isn't much else you can do. Sorry :(
the Dr wants to wait 3 MONTHS?! NO WAY!!!!
Eyesight is VERY important - yes plenty of people live a great life without eyesight but we are talking an infant!!
I'd get a second opinion and push the doctor for a faster appointment. If he won't budge - go to another doctor who will put some interest into your son instead of just sloughing him off.
I would get your baby in ASAP with Dr. S Troia. He is in Omaha but he is the BEST in the state!!!!
I have a hard time really wanting to listen to Pediatricians, especially when I am not an overanxious mother and I find something wrong/different about my child and I'm told there's nothing wrong--when there very well IS something wrong.
My daughter started complaining when she was three years old that light hurt her eyes, to the point she'd cry and beg for us to turn the lights out. Took her to the Ped, who stated that because she has blonde hair and blue eyes, sometimes the eyes are more sensitive. I pushed for a referral and got one to a Ped Opthamologist. Thank God I listened to my own instincts. She had very bad far sightedness and severe Strabismus. The Ped. Opth. asked me if my daughter had had plugged eye ducts when she was a baby. Shocked, I said yes, when she was three months old. He nodded and stated that his research was showing that a large amount of babies who have plugged eye ducts are ending up as candidates for Strabismus.
Thank goodness I listened to my instincts and no one elses, because she is now 11 years old, her eyesight is improving (children who are far sighted are sometimes able to have their eyesight naturally correct--if they wear glasses--as they grow up and often can grow out of needing to wear glasses), and all the hours she spent in front of the computer, playing a special game for her Strabismus, has paid off. And we were able to avoid surgery!
I applaud your actions and hope you discover what the issue is and get it taken care of sooner rather than later--when it might be too late.
Good luck.
My friend's baby had something like that and it was a cancerous tumor behind the eye. I'm glad you are getting an earlier check-up than what was suggested.
It could be nothing, or it could be something that needs immediate attention.
My sons pupils looked funny, one was football shaped, and the other kind of poked out a bit. turns out he has cysts on his pupils. just has to be monitored. sometimes they have to let the child grow a bit more thats why its 3 months and not 6 or a year. but you have the appt with the peds opthamologist so talk to them. good luck
At about that age I became concerned about my son's eyes not tracking together. Pediatrician first, didn't see anything to be concerned about. I insisted on a referral, got one at hospital's eye clinic who prescribed eye drops for before the appt. The drops caused his heart to race so fast it couldn't be counted... it should never be used on infants. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name. Went to ped opthamologist, son was in hospital that night! Seems he was blind in one eye and the primary cause of this form was a tumor. We dodged that bullet, it was the other cause, the optic nerve for that eye only developed 10% in utero. So blind in one eye, but that's as bad as it would get. Every single time I've been told to wait or whatever, I put my foot down until it was completely evaluated. Each and every time I was right, by the 3rd thing the ped. MD no longer argued with me.
Go with your gut, btw, a babys eyes have to be checked on the inside due to the fact that they have a tough time with the eye charts, the anatomy of the eye has to be evaluated, sometimes they have to be sedated so they remain still. Leave optometrists for at least age 3 and up.
If it was a huge problem, I think your family eye doc, even if he is an optometrist, would have "seen" something....BUT I'm glad you are being safe and following up with a pediatric opth. anyway. I wouldn't be comfortable with a "wait & re-check" about something as important as his eyes! Good for you for following up with an expert. I have taken my son to a pediatric opthamologist and they are great with kids--I'm sure even babies--and very good at what they do--it's a passion. Best to you!
