CROSSED EYES: INFO ON THE DISORDER & HOW TO CORRECTED IT.

STRABISMUS 
Strabismus also referred to as SQUINT, is a condition in which the axes of the eyes are not parallel even when the person is looking at a distant object. It is usually the result of an imbalance in the movement of the two eyes caused by poor muscle control.

If you have this condition, your eyes look in different directions. And each eye will focus on a different object.

The condition is more common in children, but it can also occur later in life. In older children and adults, crossed eyes can be caused by a variety of underlying medical conditions, like cerebral palsy or stroke.

The attempt to coordinate vision when one eye has better sight than the other (AMBLYOPIA) or when one eye has farsightedness (HYPEROPIA) is also term STABISMUS.

In convergent strabismus (CROSS-EYE), the axes of the eyes converge; in divergent strabismus (WALL-EYE) they diverge.

SYMPTOMS THAT DEVELOP WITH STRABISMUS

If only the unaffected eye is used, the other eye may get worse and defective vision or blindness may occur in that eye.

Paralytic strabismuses, caused by paralysis of an eye muscle, results in double vision know as DIPLOPIA.

This may be accompanied by giddiness, vertigo, difficulty in focusing on close objects, and a tendency to incline the head to one side.

If you have crossed eyes, your eyes might point inward or outward or focus in different directions. You might also have:

• impaired vision
• double vision
• decreased depth perception
• eye strain or headache

CAUSES OF CROSSED EYES

Crossed eyes occur either due to nerve damage or when the muscles around your eyes don’t work together because some are weaker than others. When your brain receives a different visual message from each eye, it ignores the signals coming from your weaker eye.

 If your condition isn’t corrected, you may lose vision in your weaker eye.
Crossed eyes are common in children. Often the underlying cause is unknown. Infantile esotropia is a type of crossed eyes that appears in babies during their first year of life. It runs in families and usually requires surgery to correct.

Acquired esotropia occurs in children between the ages of 2 and 5. Eyeglasses can usually correct it.

Crossed eyes can also occur later in life. It’s usually caused by physical disorders, like eye injuries, cerebral palsy, or stroke. You may also develop crossed eyes if you have a lazy eye or are farsighted.

WHO MAY DEVELOP CROSSED EYES?

One may develop the disorder, if any of these conditions are involve;

• have family members who have crossed eyes
• have a brain disorder or brain tumor
• have suffered a stroke or brain injury
• have a lazy eye, are farsighted, or have vision loss
• have a damaged retina
• are diabetic

DIAGNOSE FOR STRABISMUS

To prevent vision loss, early diagnosis and treatment for crossed eyes is important. If you develop symptoms of crossed eyes, make an appointment with an eye doctor. They will perform a series of tests to check the health of your eyes that may include:

• corneal light reflex test to check for crossed eyes
• visual acuity test to determine how well you can read from a distance
• cover/uncover test to measure your eye movement and deviation
• retina exam to examine the backs of your eyes

If you have other physical symptoms along with crossed eyes, your doctor may examine your brain and nervous system for other conditions. For example, they may conduct tests to check for cerebral palsy or Guillain-Barré syndrome.

It’s common for newborn babies to have crossed eyes. If your baby has crossed eyes that persist beyond 3 months of age, make an appointment with their doctor. Young children should undergo an eye exam before age 3.

TREATMENT

1. These will depend on the assessment of the condition by a (ophthalmic) surgeon, muscles weakness can be corrected with eye-glasses. 

     2. Often crossed eyes can be corrected with corrective lenses, eye patches, in rare cases surgery,or  by other modalities. It’s important to seek treatment right away to lower your risk of vision loss. After you’ve received treatment, watch your eyes for changes. In some cases, the condition may come back.

   3. If your crossed eyes are caused by an underlying medical condition, early diagnosis and treatment may help improve your chances of recovery. Ask your doctor for more information about your specific condition and treatment options.

   4. Training exercises are used to strengthen the muscles before the age of 4 – 5 years, if these methods fail, an operation may be carried out to tighten the affected muscles. 

  5. If your crossed eyes is caused by a brain tumor or stroke, your doctor may prescribe medication, surgery, or other treatments.

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Posted By Mr. TriGa — Wednesday, 8 June 2016 — Add Comment