STRABISMUS

Also known as: SQUINT, HETEROTROPIA, CROSS EYE, WALLEYE

ETIOLOGY:
Eye malalignment resulting from the absence of normal, parallel or uncoordinated eye
movement: frequently hereditary, but in some cases no cause is known. The cause of the defect
may be paralysis or weakness of one or more of the six muscles that control eye movements, or
faulty coordination of the brain and eye, or infection of nerves connecting the eye muscles.

CONDITION AND DESCRIPTION:

Strabismus, abnormal condition, sometimes called cross-eye, in which the muscles of the
eye prevent normal binocular vision or prevents both eyes from focusing correctly on the same
image. Occurs in 3% of the population.

CLINICAL MANIFESTATION:
 Asymmetric pupillary light reflexes
 Asymmetric extra ocular movements
 Diplopia, impaired depth
 Tendency to close one eye or tilt head during vision testing
 Amblyopia may result without treatment

MANAGEMENT:
Children often do not know that they have faulty vision. Parents may notice that their
child does not seem to see distant objects clearly or that an eye appears crossed.
 An eye examination can uncover the cause of the problem.
 The child may only need corrective eyeglasses to see things far away, such as the
blackboard in school. Crossed eyes, known as strabismus, may be corrected with
eyeglasses.
 Other children with this condition may be given eye exercises to strengthen
weak eye muscles.
 They may wear a patch over the eye with better vision to force the weaker eye to
see well.
 If exercises and eyeglasses do not correct the problem, a surgeon may operate to
strengthen the weak muscles and straighten the crossed eye.