Wandering eye-vision therapy vs surgery or both?

Hey guys, my nephew has a wandering eye on the right side. It isnt very bad but the specialist that my sister has been taking him too has recommended surgery in Feb to correct the problem, saying that it is from a lenghtened muscle. I have done some research online and most of it has said that the correction should be done when the child is young...but what concerns me is that he didn't even try vision therapy first, or a patch.
So, I was wondering if any of you moms have had experience with this and what you would recommend. I just want the best for him and to make sure he is getting the best care, but I have no experience with this. Thanks in advance for all your help!

Re: Wandering eye-vision therapy vs surgery or both?

PLEASE get a second opinion. Myself and my brother struggled with this when we were children. His was so severe that he was left back in school in first grade because he couldn't read and I just looked funny! Seroiusly though, intensive eye therapy and the patch worked for us. We both also wore glasses our entire childhoods (nothing to do with near sightendness or far sightedness) but rather to help correct the problem, the glasses had bifocals.

We are both "cured." I occassionally feel my eye wandering, but it is only when i am very tired.

I had a student in my class (I am a special ed. teacher) that had a severe wandering eye. it affected all aspects of his school day... writing, gorss and fine motor skills and reading. he had the surgery and it did NOT work!!!!

Please look into

Dr. Arnold Sherman (office is in Merrick)

Info.

He literally gave my brother his ability to learn in school back and "cured us" of our lazy eye. He is WONDERFUL with children and specializes in eye therapy. We used to love going and wearing the special glasses and playing the fun games he had for us, that we didn't know then, but was really eye therapy. He is internationally known for his work with eye therapy for people with lazy eye, etc.

Even my optometrist now, credits my good vision now to Dr. Sherman. 20 years later, my brother and I are still thankful to him.

ETA: We never had surgery.... and like I said before, it doesn't always "take."

Message edited 10/28/2008 9:15:35 PM.

Re: Wandering eye-vision therapy vs surgery or both?

Thank you sooo much for the recommendation...we will definitely call him up for a consult...I'm so glad he did such a wonderful job with you guys...the surgery thing just scares me..especially since other methods weren't recommended first.

Thanks again!!!

Re: Wandering eye-vision therapy vs surgery or both?

I had this when I was younger. I did wear a patch for awhile and wore glasses starting when I was 3 years old. I had the surgery when I was 8.

Re: Wandering eye-vision therapy vs surgery or both?

Hello - FIrst of all I went through all of this myself. I used arnold sherman in Merrick. He is great unfortunteely for me vision therapy didnt work . I had the eye surgery at 33 years old. I am happy with it.