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Exotropia in a Toddler (15 months)

Hello there,

We were told my daughter may have exotropia by her pediatrician. So we were referred to an opthomologist.  Of course, after hearing about this I began to search the web for more information on the subject.  It is my understanding that patching the affected eye, glasses or surgery are all options for this diagnosis.  

The opthomologist stated that nothing should be done at this point because she is so young.  I don't want my daughters eye to become worse because the opthomologist wants me to wait for a few months before seeing him again. I feel as if we should be working on something.  I mean, can this condition truly correct itself?  I want to listen to the opthomologist but I just don't know enough about the condition to feel comfortable as I sit back and wait.
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Avatar universal
My daughter was also diagnosed with extropia (with both a horizontal and vertical missalignment) at 9months of age. She is now 15m and has been patching 2hrs/day since diagnosis at 9m. According to her opthamologist this is highly important to not only help with the extropia (which in my daughter's case because of the veritical missalignment is not very likely) but to maintain vision in the weaker of the two eyes. Because one eye will be easier to use, they will perfer to use that eye and the lack of using the weaker eye can lead to vision problems and or blindnesss. Glasses at this age are not as effective because the idea is that it causes them to work harder and use both eyes, they quickly learn that they can see better without them and pull them off. Surgery is also an option if the patching alone does not work, or in my daughters case where there is a vertical missalignment in which case can only be corrected with surgery. Anyway, hope this helps.

P.S. it is the stronger eye (the non-effected eye) that is patched in order to cause them to use and strengthen the weaker (or effected) eye.
Helpful - 0
615752 tn?1361867986
My daughter has the same problem. It started spontaneously shortly after her 1st birthday. She was tested three times. We were told when her eyes goes outwards 50% of the day, then it has to be operated on. Exotropia is more complicated than the opposite (i.e. inwards). We were told to get her eyes checked up every 3 months. I feel the same way, I fear that it has become slightly worse in my daughter but it still hasn't reached the 50% mark. My friend's daughter was the same, it started as a toddler and she is around 4 or 5 years old, and it is much better, was also controlled by the opthamologist and got better over time. So there is hope :-) Hope it does get better for the both of our chidlren :-)
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