Crossed eyes (or strabismus) occur when a person\'s eyes are not able to align on the same point at the same time, and appear to be misaligned or pointed in different directions.
The most obvious sign of crossed eyes is when the eyes appear to be pointed in different directions.
There are, however, more signs of crossed eyes that can most often be observed in children, including:
• Eyes that do not move together
• Unsymmetrical points of reflection in each eye
• Tilting the head to one side
• Inability to gauge depth
• Squinting with only one eye
For a strabismus diagnosis, visit an eye doctor at Aadil Hospital who will perform a series of tests to check the health of your eyes, including a:
• 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 deviation and eye movement
• Retina exam to examine the back of your eyes
Early diagnosis is important for preventing vision loss. In young children, it is best to have an eye exam before age 3. If other physical symptoms appear along with crossed eyes, your doctor may examine your brain and nervous system for the presence of other conditions, such as cerebral palsy or Guillain-Barre syndrome.
IMPORTANT: Regular eye exam at
• Birth
• 1year of age
• School entry
If we miss the diagnosis of Lazy eye and fail to treat it before 7years of age, no further treatment will help
Strabismus treatment aims to improve the alignment of the eyes and to correct the resulting vision loss (amblyopic).
In order to improve vision, the weakened muscles in the affected eye or eyes must be put to work. Several treatments may be used alone or in combination, depending on the type, severity, and cause of strabismus, including:
• Eyeglasses or contact lenses – this method may help people who have crossed eyes due to an uncorrected farsightedness
• Injected medication –commonly known as Botox, the injection relaxes the contracted muscles in the eyes, making it easier for eyes to focus where they need to.
• Surgery – straightens and realigns muscles in the eyes; this method has a high success rate although it is expensive and involves more risk than other options.
• Patching or covering the better-seeing eye – similar to eye drops or ointment, this method works to strengthen the weakened eye.
