Strabismus: Effective Treatments and Prevention Strategies

Strabismus, also called crossed eyes, is a vision disorder that occurs when the eyes are not aligned. It causes them to point in separate directions. It leads to depth perception problems and affects your ability to focus on objects. 

What Causes Strabismus?

Strabismus can occur due to genetics, injury, or muscle or nerve damage. It can be congenital, where an individual has it from birth. In other people, it may develop later in life.

Diagnosis

Your eye specialist can diagnose strabismus during a comprehensive eye examination. It involves a refraction test, a visual acuity test, and a detailed exam of the eyes and their movement. Additional tests, such as eye muscle or sensory tests, may also happen. They will help determine the extent of the problem.

Types of Strabismus

There are several types of strabismus. One is esotropia, the inward divergence of one or both eyes. Another is exotropia, the outward deviation of one or both eyes. There is also hypertropia, the upward turning of one or both eyes. The type of strabismus you have will determine the best course of treatment.

Treatment

Strabismus treatment depends on the seriousness of the problems and your age. Your eye doctor may prescribe corrective lenses or prisms to help align your eyes. Glasses or contact lenses can help if the condition develops due to refractive errors such as nearsightedness or farsightedness. The lenses may be enough to treat the issue.

Patching therapy can help if one eye is weaker than the other. The treatment strengthens the weaker eye by covering the stronger one using a patch for a few hours daily. Doing this forces the weaker eye to work harder.

Vision therapy can help improve your vision system, including eye tracking and focusing. It involves activities or exercises that strengthen your eye muscles and improve visual coordination. In other cases, surgery may be necessary to adjust the position of the eye muscles. 

How Effective Is Surgery for Strabismus?

Surgery is a highly effective strabismus treatment. It has a success rate of more than 90%. The procedure involves adjusting the position of the eye muscles to improve alignment and reduce strabismus symptoms. Most patients experience improved vision and depth perception after surgery.

Potential Complications of Strabismus Surgery

Strabismus surgery carries some risks, like any surgical procedure. Potential complications include infection, bleeding, and eye muscles or nerve damage. However, these complications are rare. They can reduce with proper care and follow-up.

Prevention Strategies 

There is no guarantee to prevent strabismus. However, you can take several steps to reduce the risk. These include early detection and treatment of vision problems, regular eye exams, and wearing protective eyewear during activities like sports that could resist eye injury.

Early detection and treatment of vision problems or eye conditions are ideal for preventing strabismus. It includes regular eye exams starting from infancy and continuing through adulthood. If your eye doctor detects the problem early, it may be easier to treat and prevent the development of more severe vision problems.

For more about strabismus, visit Perspective Eye Care and Eye Wear at our office in Cullman, Alabama. Please call (256) 692-1464 to schedule an appointment today.