Strabismus is a misalignment of the eye muscles so that the two eyes are oriented in different directions. Strabismus may be caused by optical defocus or weak eye muscles and treatment depends on the cause. Eyes may be turned inwards towards the nose (Esotropia) or outwards towards the temple (Exotropia). Strabismus occurs in 4% of children and if left untreated can result in loss of vision in the deviating eye.
Strabismus may occur in infancy, later in childhood or in adulthood. Strabismus occurring in adults for the first time may be associated with other diseases including diabetes, thyroid disease and high blood pressure to name a few.
Treatment of strabismus includes some and occasionally all of the following, glasses, patching therapy and surgery.
Poor vision in children can lead to poor performance in school, difficulty learning, low self-esteem and poor socialization skills. Correction of strabismus be it with glasses or surgery improves self-image and confidence in both children and adults
Strabismus (Squint) Surgery
Strabismus surgery involves moving the muscles on the surface of the eye to realign it with the other. It is performed under general anaesthetic and is a very effective and safe operation in the majority of cases. Preoperative measurements are taken to quantify the amount of the deviation and the eye muscles are moved accordingly.
In adults and older children the procedure is often performed in two stages the first part under general anaesthetic and then some hours later the eye position is adjusted with the patient awake to “fine tune” the eye position to as close to perfect as can be achieved.
Do you feel awkward in social situations because of your misaligned eyes?