11 May 5 Facts About Strabismus
From myopia to amblyopia to strabismus, these eye conditions are extremely common for children to develop. If you are looking to delve deeper into the understanding of strabismus, continue reading for facts about strabismus, including the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for this eye condition.
1. What Is Strabismus?
Strabismus, or more commonly known as a crossed eye or an out-turned eye, is a misalignment of an individual’s eye. Due to strabismus, the individual cannot focus on the same object. The misalignment of eyes can cause double vision, sudden loss of vision in one eye, and other vision problems.
2. What Causes Strabismus?
As with many eye conditions, the exact cause of strabismus is unknown. However, most cases of strabismus are generally due to the inability of the brain to coordinate with the eyes properly. Additionally, throughout the first 8 years of your life, your eyes are supposed to learn how to work together. If, for some reason, your eye muscles fail to work together, this could cause strabismus. Last, strabismus can be caused by conditions that affect the brain, like down syndrome, cerebral palsy, brain tumours, besides others.
3. What Are The Types Of Strabismus?
While you might think that there is only one type of strabismus, there are actually several types! The different types of strabismus are described by the direction of misalignment of the eyes. There are 4 possible types of strabismus that one can be diagnosed with after an eye examination. An eye that is turned in is known as esotropia; and an eye that is turned out is known as exotropia. If the abnormal eye is higher than a normal eye, it is known as hypertropia; and if the abnormal eye is lower than the normal eye, it is known as hypotropia. Treatment may differ depending on the type of strabismus that the individual is diagnosed with.
4. What Are The Symptoms Of Strabismus?
The easiest way of identifying strabismus is to check if the eyes are misaligned, either up, down, turning in, or turning out. Other symptoms of strabismus are double vision, head tilting, eye strain, and squinting. Additionally, if the person covers one eye to improve their vision, it is likely because their eyes are aligned incorrectly. Last, from an observer standpoint, if the individual has poor coordination, bumps into things, or is clumsy, this could indicate strabismus, as this eye condition limits depth perception.
5. How Do You Treat Strabismus?
To develop good vision with strabismus, it’s important to stimulate the eye. These include visual exercises like focusing on objects and stopping when the objects appear blurry. Exercises like this help train the brain and the eyes to work together properly. Other treatments include eyeglasses and contact lenses for mild cases. On the other hand, individuals with worse strabismus might need surgery to help align the eyes correctly.
After reading these facts about strabismus, you might suspect that your child has it. It is important to get them diagnosed as soon as you identify symptoms, such as double vision, squinting, or head tilting. To book an appointment at Dr D’Orio Eyecare, visit https://drdorioeyecare.com/book-appointment/ or call us at 416-656-2020 for our Toronto location, or 416-661-5555 for our North York location.
