3 1/2 year old just diagnosed with +5.75 farsightedness

[mattntracee]

My son was just diagnosed with farsightedness.  The doctor said it was quite a strong prescription (+5.75/+.75) in each eye.  I'm just having a hard time believing this without noticing any symptoms until 4 months ago when his right eye started to fall inward intermintently.  Over the last few months it has become more frequent, several times a day.  This kid can hit a baseball off a tee and see other commonly known things I hold up for him to identify.  The doctor spent a long time and used many different instruments to come up with his diagnosis, I don't doubt him.  The pictures used in the eye exam on the wall were hard for him to identify... he's only 3 and I'm not sure it had anything to do with vision.  His eyes were dilated and tested.  Can the doctor determine the diagnosis by this procedure alone?  Is the identification of the pictures on the wall very important?  How will I know if the RX is wrong for him?

[mila7373]

A related discussion, Farsightedness in 4 years old girl was started.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

I answred this on the other page but you child should be under the care of a pediatric ophthalmologist. In my opinion it is a big mistake to leave this child under the care of a non-physician optometrist.  

Ask your pediatrician for a referral or go to www.aao.org

JCH MD

[mattntracee]

His doctor is an O.D. and is not exclusively pediatric but does see many children.  What does O.D. mean?  If my ten and seven year olds have not shown any signs of problems should I still have them screened for this?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Your "doctor" should be a MD ophthalmologist eye surgeon. If you are seeing an optometrist then get a real opinion from a MD. If you did see an Eye MD ophthalmologist then its extremely important to wear the glasses all the time. If not the eye may turn in permanently. Ie not comfortable with the situation see a pediatric ophthalmologist eye MD for a second opinion. Have your other children checked for the same thing. This condition (accommodative esotrophia) often develops from age 2 to 4 years of age. It can also cause poor vision in one eye (amblyopia).

JCH MD