Strabismus
(Squint; Cross-Eye; Wandering Eye)
What is strabismus?
Strabismus is having one eye that looks in a different direction than the other eye. The eye may look outward (called walleye) or inward (called cross-eyes).
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Strabismus can start in the first months of life or begin at any time in childhood
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Strabismus is usually caused by blurry vision in one eye or by an uneven pull in eye muscles
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Your child may have double vision or a sore neck from twisting the head to see better
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Strabismus sometimes gets better on its own, but most children need special eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery
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Without treatment, severe strabismus can cause permanent vision loss
What causes strabismus?
Strabismus is caused by:
Rarely strabismus is caused by a type of eye cancer that happens mostly to young children (retinoblastoma) or an eye injury.
Children are at higher risk of strabismus if they:
What are the symptoms of strabismus?
You may notice:
Because visual signals from the two eyes don't match, your child's brain starts to ignore signals from the affected eye. This causes a form of vision loss called amblyopia. If your child's strabismus isn't corrected before about 8 years old, the vision loss may be permanent.
How can doctors tell if my child has strabismus?
How do doctors treat strabismus?
If your child has strabismus, an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) can decide what treatment might be needed. Strabismus that's mild or comes and goes may not need to be treated. Treatment aims to align the eyes so they're looking in the same direction and see equally well. Depending on the cause and symptoms of your child's strabismus, doctors may:
It's important to treat strabismus as it can cause amblyopia (lazy eye).
