Strabismus
A squint or strabismus is often referred to as crossed or wandering eyes. All of these terms are used for a condition where the eyes do not align with each other properly.
What Is Strabismus?
Strabismus is a condition where the eyes are misaligned. This means one eye turns inward, outward, upward, or downward from where the other eye focuses. The misalignment results in vision difficulties, particularly with depth perception, and may also cause eye strain and discomfort.
You may hear any of the following terms associated with strabismus. Each one is used to describe a specific behavior of the eye.
- Hypertropia: An eye pointing upward
- Hypotropia: An eye pointing downward
- Esotropia: An eye pointing inward
- Exotropia: An eye pointing outward
- Amblyopia: A condition where one eye is weaker than the other, which can result from untreated strabismus
Causes
What causes strabismus is not always clear, but symptoms arise from poor muscular control of the affected eye. Your eye uses a set of six muscles and several sets of nerves to control and coordinate its movements. With strabismus, there is a problem with the brain, nerves, or muscles themselves that reduces control over these muscles.
Strabismus usually develops in early childhood, with most cases diagnosed by age three. Many people with strabismus have a family history of the condition.
However, strabismus can also occur in adults. In adult patients, childhood strabismus may reappear. Others may experience strabismus after a physical injury or as a result of a medical condition.
Some medical conditions that can increase your risk of strabismus include:
- Any type of damage to the brain, such as a traumatic brain injury, brain tumor, or stroke
- Neurological conditions like cerebral palsy
- Genetic conditions like Down syndrome
- Complications associated with premature birth
- Uncorrected vision problems
See your healthcare provider immediately if you or your older child suddenly experience double vision or misaligned eyes.
Symptoms
Strabismus symptoms can include:
- Eyes that appear crossed
- Eyes that do not follow or focus on objects with coordinated movements
- Double vision
- Lack of depth perception
- Loss of vision in one eye
- Closing, covering or narrowing the eye to look at something
- Turning or tilting the head to see things more clearly
- Frequent headaches or eye pain/strain
Note that crossed eyes can be normal in newborns. Their eyes may drift and appear to cross occasionally when tired. However, by the time a child is six months old, their eyes should straighten out. If this doesn’t happen, they likely have strabismus.
Diagnosis
Your optometrist will look at your (or your child’s) medical history and family medical history to help determine how and when the problem developed and look for possible causes.
Doctors may use the following tests to help them diagnose and understand the severity of the problem:
- Visual acuity test: Having you read an eye chart or examining your child’s visual behaviors
- Retinal exam: Dilating your pupils to examine your eye structure
- Neurological exam: Testing for brain conditions associated with strabismus
Treatment Options
Several methods may be used to treat strabismus. Each type of treatment aims to help the affected eye work more effectively. Some options include:
- Corrective lenses
- Eye exercises and training
- Wearing an eye patch over the stronger eye to help strengthen the weaker eye
- Medications to help weaken overactive muscles and adjust the position of the eye
In more significant cases, where other treatments haven’t proved effective, strabismus surgery is used to realign and strengthen the muscles in the weaker eye.
Your optometrist will discuss your best options for how to fix your strabismus. Schedule an eye exam with Visionworks today to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Common Is Strabismus?
Can Strabismus Be Prevented?
Can Strabismus Be Cured?
