[no subject]

[andrew-c]

when i take photo`s of my 5 year old son , the red eye appears brighter in his right eye in all flash photo`s. does this indicate any medical problems?

[mrwjd]

Have you looked in his eye, and does it look like the other?  Or is there some contrast, not necessarily in color but maybe in shininess or reflectivity--is one duller than the other?  Can you look more deeply into one than the other?  Don't worry about whether you can describe what it is.  Trust your instinct.  

What about when he uses his eyes?  If he's coloring or writing, can you see if he's tracking with both eyes, or only one?  Will he let you briefly cover one eye, then the other, while he's looking at something?  If he's not seeing as well from one, he'll probably let you know somehow when you cover the stronger eye.

These are not medical terms, of course--the idea is, do you see anything different, or have a sense of anything different between the eyes.

You don't need a horror story, but I'll tell you one anyway.  My best friend went to the doctor with her 11-month-old son and said, there's something going on with his right eye, it just doesn't look right, I want him to see an ophthalmologist.  Well, she was getting care through our version of Medicaid and had no leverage, the doctor looked at his eyes and said, you don't need to see an ophthalmologist, mother, there's nothing wrong, you're imagining it (they used to do that to us a lot in those days--especially making "mother" a derogatory).

When he was 1-1/2 and she finally saw an ophthalmologist, they found cancer in both eyes, most advanced in the one she'd noticed--a form of cancer that was fairly readily curable in a little kid if caught quickly.  Even then, they tried for half a year to save the other eye, but finally had to take it, too, before the cancer started up the optic nerve to his brain.

All that, because of a medical "gatekeeper" whose bonus was tied to how many specialist referrals he refused to make during the year.    

Good luck to your son, and you.

[cdn_glenn]

If it's a point-and-shoot digital camera it might just be where the flash is located in comparison to the the lens.  The flash being too near to the lens causes red eye to be pronounced.  If it is close but off to one side, maybe the (your son's) right eye is being emphasized.

Here's a simple solution.  Try operating the camera upside-down.  Take a few pictures of your son and see if his left eye now appears brighter.  If so, it's your camera.  If not, I hope someone else on the board has another suggestion.

Regards,
Glenn

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

VERY IMPORTANT.  Please pay close attention.  What you are describing could possibly be a sign of a real eye problem.  The abnormal red reflex which is dimmer in one eye could indicate that there is an abnormality of the cornea, lens, vitreous or retina.  It is absolutely essential that you take your child to see an ophthalmologist, preferably a pediatric ophthalmologist right away.  VERY IMPORTANT.


Michael Kutryb, MD
Board-Certified Ophthalmologist
Titusville, FL

[mrwjd]

You note that the original post was submitted a year ago.  I was and am very concerned (as I indicated, above).

Is there any way you or management can contact through enrollment records a member who does not appear to be active any more, to convey this kind of message?