Eye Problems with My Youngest

One of the problems is that often, when kids or anyone stare at the computer or video game for a long time, they reduce the amount of time they blink. This may be drying out his eyes and irritating it. One eye may be more sensitive, or maybe not produce as many tears?

I agree with limiting his time in front of video/computer screens and see if that helps any.

i would bring him to a pediatric opthamologist and a neurologist as well. really good ones. i have an amazing one if you want to come to ny. im sure its nothing, but even if its just an astigmatism, time is a factor. i would go soon. i brought my son when he was 2, i brought all of them just for a check up. and they found my little guy has a severe astigmatism, i was blown away, i had no idea. he got glasses, no big deal, hes doing great. i referred my friend to him when her daughter, 3, was closing one eye or covering one eye to watch tv, he diagnosed her too, she will wear glasses, and he said that she probably saved her sight in that eye by getting it corrected so quickly. something was going on with the muscle and she wasnt using it anymore, im not sure exactly. but she will be fine now. oh, and i brought my other son to the neurologist because we suspected migraines (he does), and they did the thing where they stick those electrodes all over your head. an ekg? he thought it was super cool, asked me to take pictures. it doesnt hurt or anything.

I wonder if the ophthalmologist checked for an astigmatism? I only ask because it can be hard to detect in kids sometimes (mine wasn't diagnosed until I was 12). Basically it's a condition where one of the eyes, instead of being a sphere, is more football-shaped. The eye muscles actually pull it out of its normal shape. As a child, I remember having the symptoms you describe - after a day at school (since I've always been tall, I was always put at the back of the classroom, so I had to struggle to see the blackboard all day), plus I loved to read, and read ALL the time, my eye would actually hurt. To compensate, I began covering that eye, and that helped a little - and it was then (in 6th grade!) that my parents realized there was something wrong with my eyes. I had been to eye doctors before and it had never been diagnosed. It's not a big deal to correct once diagnosed. Glasses, basically.

My younger daughter began covering one eye when she began reading, and I took her to a pediatric ophthalmologist. The doctor remarked that if I hadn't brought it up and made her look for astigmatism, that she might have missed it. So... there you have it. Worth checking with the ophthalmologist one more time!

Good luck! I hope you're able to find a solution soon!

I would take him to a pediatric opthamalogist. If still no answers then a pediatric neurologist.

Staring at a screen/computer/hand held games... dries out the eyes. It then gets sore. Because, when one is staring at a screen, they do not blink as much.
Also, the lighting on the screen, can be too bright or too dim. Hence the eye is straining as well.
Same for reading.

Or you go and get a 2nd opinion, with an Opthamalogist.
Or, try and get him eye "moisture" drops.

Also, doing things like that, is only near sighted things. Seeing things up close. For the eyes, only doing things like that, is not good for the eyes. A child, ALSO has to do things, that entail far vision things. Just putting away the hand-held things, and going outside etc. So that the eyes are not only forming and seeing, up close things. My Husband read about this, recently.

I know if I'm in front of the computer all day (which is every day), I get a pain behind my left eye... which can turn into a migraine. It's from the type of light that comes off electronics. You can get yellow tinted glasses; that helps a lot!

OR, it's gorgeous out, kick his butt outside, unplugged ;)

Have your hubby just put on his status "My son is having eye pain when reading. I remember one of my friends had this same issue but can't remember which one of you it was. If you can send me a personal message with the opthamalogist you use and and what tests they needed to run to diagnose you I'd really appreciate it."

I'd go to another opthamologist for a 2nd opinion.

Good luck!

I would definitely cut the time he spends on the television, computer, xbox, and all that stuff. It is bad for eyes in general, anyways. Whenever he is doing anything that may irritate him, let him do it for 25 minutes or so then tell him to rest his eyes for a little bit. You don't want to strain it and possibly make it worse.

have they checked to see if that eye is lubricated enough, can he cry tears out of it. you asked what would b e the next step, maybe a referral to a neurologist, if it is a nerve problem? Or a specialist pediatric opthamalogts maybe one associated with a hospital. good luck.

have you tried an optometrist? find one who specializes in kids. their work is different from opthomologists, but i can't remember how.

The pediatric opthamologist is part of it. I'd contact the Wilmer eye Institute @ Johns Hopkins if you want the best in the area. http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/wilmer/
The closest one to you would be Baltimore. It's worth the extra drive. If that is just too far to go for you, contact Children's Hospital.