Does eye patch therapy work on a 6 yr old?

[Claudiamom]

My son just experienced his left eye moving inward starting last week.  The opthamologist diagnosed him with congenital esotropia and mild amblyopia in left eye which is 20/25. We started the patch on his right eye for 2 hrs per day. My question is how successful is this and are there other avenues to correct or ensure amblyopia doesn't get worse.  I know surgery is an option but don't know the side effects.

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

Just a few thoughts.  The patching can definitely improve amblyopia but may or may not help the esotropia.  If it is accommodative esotropia, the glasses often work quite well but for the average case of congenital esotropia, surgery is sometimes needed.  Make sure to be seeing a pediatric ophthalmologist and this should be a fairly routine case for that type of MD.

[Claudiamom]

He is seing a pediatric opthamologist. He said it's NOT accomodative because his vision is fine, no focus problems just the left eye being 20/25. What I still can't get from the DR or the research I've done so far is how common is it for this to appear all of a sudden at 6 yr old? Most everything I read is for cases w/kids under 3. MRI was normal but should I still worry this appeared due to a disease?