To Our Patching Families,
Sometimes it is hard to remember why we are patching. After placing the patch over our child’s stronger eye vision or pealing a sticky patch away from their reddend skin, it is easy to say, “We’ll skip patching today.” The most important thing to remember though, is that if your child’s Opthamologist asks for 4 hours every day, we as parents, MUST make 4 hours every day happen.
I am reading the book “Children with Visual Imparents, a Parents’ Guide,” and came across some words that must be shared. This book is a fabulous resource and I am hoping to write a book review when I am finished. The chapter I just read was on medical issues, treatment, and professionals written by Steven Stiles, O.D. and Robert Knox, M.D. There is a section on Amblyopia and they write, “It is very important that you realize the number one factor in the success of eye patching is to keep the patch on the eye as prescribed by the doctor (p.29).” Our chidren’s doctors may tell us what we need to do to give our kids a chance at improving their vision, but it is our responsibility to make sure that we follow through with this task, no matter how difficult. The best time to treat it is NOW, when our kids are young. Just think of this,
“Damage to the eye caused by failure to wear the patch will likely be permanent.”
Amomofelly
For Little Eyes 
Thank you for this post. We are having to patch Grace once a day for 30 minutes (so little) but yet I often forget or don’t want to deal with it. I don’t think I will have any trouble following through now.
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Indeed, it is much easier for eye doctors like myself to tell parents to patch their children than it is for parents to complete the task. But it is important! If you are having an exceptionally difficult time getting it done or preventing them from peeking, be sure to talk with your doctor in a straight forward manner. Do not let him or her assume that you are successfully patching and not getting the hoped for results. There may be alternative methods of treatment to consider.
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Melissa – keep on it! and Nathan Bonilla- Warford, thank for reminding our parents there are other options. We have tried both patching and atropine drops and my Elly now has a fennel prism on her glasses… so we are all about trying whatever the DR thinks will work. I will not give up without a fight!
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Amomofelly, that’s the spirit. FYI, it spelled “fresnel” (silent s). Fennel treatment for amblyopia sounds tasty, but ineffective. 🙂
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Ha ha ha – you can tell where I spend most of my time when not at the opthamologists office – in the kitchen. If you know of any information or research on the fresnel prisms, would you be able to point me in the right direction?
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