Squint eye, also known as strabismus, is a condition where the eyes do not properly align with each other when looking at an object. One eye may turn inwards, outwards, upwards, or downwards while the other eye looks straight ahead. This misalignment can be constant or intermittent.
Treatment Options
The goals of treatment are to improve eye alignment, ensure proper vision in both eyes, and restore binocular vision. Treatment options include:
- Non-Surgical Treatments:
- Eyeglasses or Contact Lenses: Correcting refractive errors can reduce or eliminate the misalignment in some cases.
- Prism Lenses: Special lenses that help align the eyes by bending light entering the eye.
- Patching (Occlusion Therapy): Covering the stronger eye to force the weaker eye to work harder, often used in conjunction with other treatments for amblyopia (lazy eye).
- Vision Therapy: A series of eye exercises designed to improve eye coordination and focusing abilities.
- Botulinum Toxin Injection (Botox): Injected into the eye muscles to temporarily weaken overactive muscles, allowing for better alignment.
- Surgical Treatments:
- Surgery is considered when non-surgical treatments are insufficient. The type of surgery depends on the specific muscles involved and the direction of the eye turn.
- Muscle Recession: Involves detaching and reattaching a muscle further back on the eye to weaken it.
- Muscle Resection: Shortens a muscle to strengthen its pull on the eye.
- Adjustable Sutures: Used in adults, allowing for post-operative adjustment of the muscle position to achieve optimal alignment.
- Transposition Surgery: Shifts the position of eye muscles, often used for vertical strabismus.
