Strabismus
Ear, Eye & Head Conditions
FACTS:
- This condition can effect one eye or both eyes.
- Crossed eyes can be constant - when the eye turns in, out, up or down all of the time - or intermittent - turning some of the time, such as under stressful conditions of when ill.
- It is important to have the child seen by an eye doctor. Children do not outgrow eye turns.
- If not treated, the brain will eventually disregard the input from the eye, leaving that eye functionally blind even if the eye is structurally fine. The brain can't reverse this and sight in that eye can't be regained.
- Children with strabismus are of normal intelligence.
TREATMENT:
- All children should have an eye exam done by age three to check for vision problems.
- In some cases, eyeglasses may be able to straighten the eyes. If the strabismus is present along with amblyopia (inability to see clearly with one eye), patching of the stronger eye is often helpful.
- If the eye doesn't respond to vision therapy, such as patching and or glasses, surgical intervention may be needed. This may restore normal vision. Many times it just improves the physical appearance by realigning the eye.
- With early diagnosis the defect can usually be successfully treated.
- With delayed treatment, vision loss in one eye may become permanent.
