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STRABISMUS

DEFINITION OF STRABISMUS

Strabismus, commonly known as crossed eyes or misaligned eyes, is a condition where the eyes do not align properly. One eye may look straight ahead while the other turns inward, outward, upward, or downward. Strabismus can be constant or intermittent and may affect one (unilateral) or both eyes (alternating).

If left untreated, strabismus can lead to amblyopia (lazy eye), double vision, or depth perception issues. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to improve vision alignment and prevent permanent vision problems.

RISK FACTORS OF STRABISMUS

  • Genetics
  • Refractive Errors
  • Neurological Disorders
  • Head Injuries or Stroke
  • Weak Eye Muscles

SYMPTOMS

 

                        • One eye may appear to look straight while the other eye turns in, out, up, or down.

                        • The misalignment may be constant or intermittent.

                        • It may be more noticeable when tired, stressed, or sick.

                            • Seeing two overlapping or separate images of a single object.

                            • More common in acquired strabismus (especially in adults).

                            • Children may suppress the image from the misaligned eye, reducing their experience of double vision but risking amblyopia (lazy eye).

                            • A person may close one eye to avoid seeing double, especially in bright light or while focusing.

                            • Common behavior in children trying to compensate for misalignment.

                      • Abnormal head posture (e.g., tilting or turning to one side) to align the eyes better and improve vision.

                      • Helps reduce double vision or maintain binocular vision.

                      • Difficulty using both eyes together can cause fatigue, eye discomfort, or frequent headaches — especially after reading or doing close work.

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TREATMENT TYPES

  •  Used to correct refractive errors that contribute to accommodative esotropia.
  •  Bifocal or prism lenses help reduce eye strain and misalignment.
  • Pencil Push-ups – Improves convergence (used for exotropia).
  • Brock String Exercise – Enhances eye alignment.
  • Prism Therapy – Uses special lenses to train eye coordination.
  •  In children with strabismus and lazy eye, patching the stronger eye forces the weaker eye to work harder.
  •  Alternative: Atropine eye drops to blur the stronger eye and stimulate the weaker eye.

                    • Used in paralytic or small-angle strabismus to relax overactive eye muscles.

    • Recession Surgery – Weakens an overactive muscle by repositioning it backward.

    •  Resection Surgery – Strengthens a weak muscle by removing a portion of it.

    •  Adjustable Suture Surgery – Allows post-surgical fine-tuning of eye alignment.

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FAQS

Strabismus is a condition where the eyes are not properly aligned with each other. One eye may turn inward, outward, upward, or downward while the other eye remains focused on an object. It can be constant or intermittent and affect one or both eyes.

      • Common causes include:

        • Imbalance in the muscles that move the eyes

        • Nerve problems affecting eye movement

        • Uncorrected refractive errors (like farsightedness)

        • Genetic factors (family history)

        • Trauma, stroke, or neurological conditions

        • Congenital causes (present at birth)

        In many cases, the exact cause is unknown.

              • Visible misalignment of the eyes

              • Double vision (especially in adults)

              • Squinting or closing one eye

              • Head tilting or turning to align vision

              • Eye strain, fatigue, or headaches

              • Poor depth perception

              • Blurred vision or trouble reading

          • If left untreated in children, strabismus can lead to amblyopia (lazy eye), where the brain favors one eye and vision development is impaired. In adults, strabismus may cause persistent double vision but usually does not cause complete vision loss.

          • Rarely. Mild, intermittent strabismus in infants may resolve as the visual system matures. However, in most cases — especially beyond age 4–6 months — treatment is necessary to prevent permanent vision issues.

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