Strabismus
What is Strabismus ?
Strabismus (eye misalignment) is a condition in which your eyes don’t line up with one another. In other words, one eye is turned in a direction that’s different from your other eye. Under normal conditions, the six muscles that control eye movement work together and point both eyes in the same direction.
If you have strabismus, these muscles have problems controlling eye movement and can’t keep normal ocular alignment (eye position). While strabismus is mainly found in childhood, adults can also experience strabismus. Most commonly, strokes cause ocular misalignment in adults. Another cause is physical trauma. But you can be an adult with childhood strabismus that wasn’t treated or was treated and has come back (recurred) or gotten worse.
Symptoms
- Double vision
- Covering one eye when looking at something nearby
- Tilting or turning your head
- Headaches
- Difficulty reading
- Difficulty reading
- Eye strain
- Closing one eye when looking in bright light
- Misaligned eyes
- Eyes not moving together
- Blurry vision
- Loss of depth perception
Cause
Most strabismus happens because of a problem with neuromuscular control of your eye movement, which involves your brain. Less commonly, there’s a problem with the actual eye muscle. Another factor is family history. About 30% of children with strabismus have a family member with a similar problem.
Risk Factors
Other conditions that are risk factors for misaligned eyes include: Uncorrected refractive errors. Poor vision in one eye. Cerebral palsy. Down syndrome (20% to 60% of people with Down syndrome also have strabismus). Hydrocephalus (a disease that you’re born with that results in a buildup of fluid in your brain). Brain tumors. Stroke (the leading cause of strabismus in adults). Head injuries can damage the area of your brain responsible for controlling eye movement, the nerves that control eye movement, and your eye muscles. Neurological (nervous system) problems. Graves’ disease (overproduction of thyroid hormone).
When to see a Doctor
Uncorrected strabismus can have far-reaching effects, including loss of vision and stereoacuity, and adverse effects on psychosocial development and gainful employment. A child with any form of strabismus should be seen as soon as possible by an eye specialist to rule out vision loss or a visually dangerous or unexpected cause of the deviation.