Strabismus is a term used by medical fraternity for a condition which commonly is called crossed eyes, wandering eyes etc. It is a condition in which the eyes are actually misaligned with each other; when the eyes are focused on an object they look in different direction. The prevalence of crossed eyes is relatively more in children as compared to adults.
This condition usually occurs because of weak muscles of eyes or in people who are very farsighted. In older children and adults strabismus can be due to conditions such as cerebral palsy or stroke.
Strabismus can be corrected by wearing corrective lens. In its severe form surgery may be effective way of correcting the anomaly.
What Are The Different Types Of Strabismus?
Strabismus is described by many of its type. They are mainly classified by the way the eye turns. The most common type of strabismus is esotropia, exotropia, hypotropia and hypertropia.
- Esotropia: It is inward turning of the eyes. Most infants are normally born with some amount of inward turning of the eyes.But they outgrow it after few months. But true esotropia continues even after 2 to 4 months of age. There are different types of esotropia such as infantile esotropia, accommodative esotropia and sixth nerve palsy.
- Exotropia: In this type the eyes are deviated outwards. Intermittent exotropia is a condition in which the eye turns outwards for only some time.
- Hypertropia: It is a type of strabismus in which the eye turns upwards. It usually occurs due to weakness in one of the muscles of eyes. In majority of cases it is superior oblique muscle. Hypertropia strabismus can be since birth or may be acquired later in life.
- Hypotropia: When the eyes are deviated in downward direction it is called hypotropia. In this condition the affected eye is slightly lower than the normal eye.
Treatment Options For Strabismus
There are several options to improve the alignment and coordination of eye in a patient having strabismus.
- Eye glasses: Some of the patients may need eye glasses, especially people with high refractory error.
- Contact lenses: The other option is use of contact lenses.
- Eye exercises: To make the weak muscles of eye stronger, doctors will adequate the patients to perform certain eye exercises. This will help the weak eye to become stronger.
- Prism lenses: Prism lenses are special type of lenses that help to alter the amount of light entering in the eye and thus reduce the turning of eye. This helps the weak eye to view the object more clearly. In some cases prism lenses altogether help the turning of eye.
- Surgery of eye muscles: In majority of cases eye muscle surgery is beneficial to alter the misalignment of weak eye. After the surgery the affected eye appears straight. The success of surgery may depend on the severity of the strabismus. In many cases patient may need more than one surgical procedure. Nowadays even long standing strabismus among adults has been effectively aligned with surgical measures. If the condition is treated earlier surgically, visual acuity of the affected eye is much better.