Eye misalignment (strabismus)
Eye misalignment (strabismus) is a condition in which two eyes do not look in the same direction. One eye turns either outwards, inwards, upwards or downwards relative to the other eye. The condition may occur all the time or come and go.
Causes
Most eye misalignment occurs as a result of an abnormality of the brain, nerve, and muscle that control eye movements. There are numerous specific diseases that can cause this abnormality. In some cases, the cause of eye misalignment is unknown.
Symptoms
The patient or their acquaintances may notice that the patient’s eyes are not aligned or are not able to track objects together. Some patients may have eye strain and may develop head tilting posture. In addition, adult patients and older children can experience “seeing double”.
When to see the doctor
Please ask for an evaluation by a strabismus specialist if you experience aforementioned symptoms. Although timely appropriate management of eye misalignment by a specialist is recommended in all patients, this issue is especially important for young children as delayed management can lead to long-term disability such as permanent loss of binocular vision and 3-dimensional depth perception.
Prevention
There is no specific measure to prevent the development of misalignment. However, timely appropriate management of this condition can improve quality of life and reduce the risk of long-term disability.
Diagnosis
Complete eye examination by a strabismus specialist is recommended to accurately diagnose eye misalignment.
Treatment
Suitable treatments depend on the types and causes of strabismus. Treatment options include
- Wearing appropriate eyeglasses
- Wearing an eye patch
- Strabismus surgery
- Treating underlying diseases such as brain, nerve, and muscle diseases.
