Lafayette Family Eye Care

Strabismus


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Strabismus refers to a misalignment of the eyes. One eye may look straight ahead, while the other eye turns inward, outward, upward, or downward. Though it is a common condition among children, with about 4% of all children in the United States diagnosed with the condition, it can also occur later life.

Types of Strabismus

Most common types of strabismus are:

  • Congenital Esotropia involves the eyes crossing toward the nose and is the most common type of strabismus in infants.
  • Accommodative Esotropia usually occurs in children around age 2 or older and involves an inward turn when the child focuses the eyes to see clearly.
  • Exotropia involves a turn outward, usually when focusing on distant objects.

Treatment

In some cases, strabismus can be treated with eyeglasses. In other cases, the covering or patching of the strong eye will be used to increase the strength of the weaker eye and improve vision. Other treatments involve surgery in order to correct the unbalanced eye muscles. With surgery, glasses may still be required and more than one surgery may be necessary to fully correct the unbalanced eye muscles.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment to determine your individual eye health and create a treatment plan that works best for you and your family.