Can anyone develop Strabismus?
Strabismus can be developed by both children and adults. There are several reasons which can make it occur and among them are:
- Another condition such as Down syndrome, Hydrocephalus and Stroke to name a few
- Genetics can also be the cause of Strabismus - even if just one of the parents had it in their genes
- Head trauma
What are the symptoms of Strabismus?
There are a number of signs that can be detected, but the easiest ones to spot are the misalignment of the eyes and the inability to move them together. Other symptoms can be also:
- Double vision
- Inability to perceive depth properly and bumping into objects
- Having to tilt in order to see properly
- Tired eyes
How can Strabismus affect your life?
Any activity that requires precision and concentration can be hindered by this condition - sports, reading etc. Double vision can cause eye strain, fatigue and headaches as well.
It can also lead to a lazy eye. This can make the vision from the affected eye poor, especially in children, as the brain tries to overcome the double vision.
Poor self-esteem is another issue that might arise, because of this condition hindering activities that you take on.
Those are reasons why you should take measures as soon as you suspect something might be out of order.
Can strabismus be treated?
Strabismus can be treated and to excellent results if detected early. The most important thing is to identify and start the treatment as soon as possible. It is a common misconception that a child can outgrow strabismus - this is hardly the case and can lead to complications if left untreated.
There are different types of treatment available, some of them being:
- Surgery - in the event of the eye muscles not operating properly on a more serious level, having an eye surgery can improve the condition. The muscles will be aligned properly, in order to be straight and then the patient will have to undergo eye exercise in order to train their eyes so they can align properly. There are different surgical procedure that could be done.
- Exercises - in a good number of cases you will not need to undergo a surgery, but simply train your eye, by prescription of your eye specialist.
- Glasses - in a lot of cases when the condition is not serious, treatment can happen simply by using lenses or glasses.
- Eyepatch over the healthy eye - if your child has a lazy eye, an eyepatch can help and retrain the lazy eye by wearing the patch over the healthy eye for a prolonged period of time.
Those are just a few of the general methods available. Doing check-ups at an eye specialist is always a good idea to avoid not just Strabismus but many other eye conditions. Strabismus especially can be treated easily if caught early on.