Do not delay if your child has strabismus. Seek professional advice from your family doctor for this is an important medical problem
The results of treatment are
usually very good, but may depend on how quickly treatment is begun.
This
applies particularly to very young children. If treatment is unduly delayed,
vision may not be able to be restored.
This type of blindness can be
completely prevented.
Contents: Return to Eyetech Prof. Dev. Page
What is Strabismus? Return to Table of Contents
What causes Strabismus?
What are the effects of a turned eye?
Importance of Strabismus
Management of Strabismus
Treatment
Is your child especially at risk?
What is Strabismus?
Strabismus, the medical term used when the two eyes are not straight occurs in approximately 2% to 4% of the population.There are three common types of strabismus:
1. Crossed eyes: a child may be born with this condition, or it may develop within a few months of birth or between 2 and 4 years of age. This is also called esotropia, or convergent squint.
2. Divergent eyes: a child may be born with this condition, or it may develop later. This is also called exotropia, or divergent squint.
3. Vertical strabismus: the eyes are out of alignment
vertically. Hypertropia. Frequently these children present because
they tilt their head to the side.
What causes Strabismus?
1.
Genetic Predisposition: There is often an inherited tendency in patients
with strabismus.
2. Poor focus:
Sometimes the condition is due to the need for glasses, particularly farsightedness.
3. Abnormal
muscle: A muscle abnormality may cause an eye to turn. this is rare
in children.
4. Poor vision:
Strabismus may be secondary to loss of vision in an eye due to a serious
problem, such as a cataract or tumour.
5. Neurological
or congenital problems (e.g. Cerebral Palsy or Downs Syndrome) are commonly
associated with strabismus.
Index
What happens to sight if an Eye is turned?
Vision is lost in the turned eye because the brain cells driven by that eye are not being used. This is referred to as AMBLYOPIA or Lazy Eye. One such circumstance
is if a child is born with straight eyes, but one eye turns in at about
the
age
of 2 years. If this condition is not treated urgently, vision may be reduced
to partial sight
(legal blindness)
in the turned eye. If treatment is begun immediately, however, perfect
vision can
often be restored.
Another situation
where loss of vision may occur is when the eyes are unequally focused.
If one eye
is out of focus with the other, the brain may ignore the image from the
eye
improperly
focused. This prevents development of normal vision in the affected
eye. This
condition is also called AMBLYOPIA
or Lazy Eye.
Defective binocular
vision: the eyes need to be straight for fusion in the brain of the
images of
the two eyes. This gives accurate vision and stereopsis, or 3-D vision;
3-D
vision is
one of the ways used to judge depth.
Index
Importance of Strabismus
1. Loss of vision in turned eye.2. The eye may be turned because of poor vision caused by a tumour in the eye, a cataract or even a brain tumour.
Index
Management of Strabismus
Before any treatment is commenced it is important to know why the eye is turning. Your Doctor must:1. Establish a cause for the squint: and answer the following questions:
a. Is there a focusing problem?
b. Are the eye muscles normal?
c. Is there a problem in the eye or brain which could be the cause?
2.Advise what is the aim of treatment:
a. Achieve good vision in each eye.
b. Restore stereopsis i.e. binocular vision.
Index
Treatment
This follows a full assessment which will exclude eye problems and serious causes of Strabismus.a. Prescription of spectacles- (if needed) may straighten the eye. This may be the only treatment required.
b. Treat Amblyopia- Usually a patch is required. sometimes drops are prescribed. This is continued until the vision has improved to its maximum level. This does not straighten the eye.
c. Surgery: Adjustment of the eye muscles may be necessary. This is very good surgery but not perfect surgery. 80-90% of patients' eyes will be straight after one operation. Of course this means one in ten may need more than one operation.
The results of treatment are usually very good, but
may depend on how quickly treatment is begun.
This applies particularly to very young children.
If treatment is unduly delayed, vision may not be able to be restored.
This type of legal blindness can be completely prevented.
Do not delay if your child has strabismus. Seek
professional advice from your family doctor for this is an important medical
problem.
Is your child especially at risk?
If any members of your family have had strabismus, there is an increased risk that a squint may develop in your child. Therefore even if the eyes appear to be straight, the child should be examined by an ophthalmologist- a medically qualified eye specialist-by the age of 1 year.Remember- It is possible to examine a child of any age for strabismus and determine whether the eyes are properly focused. If you are not sure whether your child's eyes are straight, consult your family doctor, who may advise a referral to a medical eye specialist..