Home Treatments Squint

What is Squint?

A squint, also called strabismus, is where the eyes point in different directions. It's particularly common in young children, but can happen at any age.

One of the eyes may turn in, out, up or down while the other eye looks ahead. This may happen all the time or it may come and go. Treatment is usually recommended to correct a squint, as it's unlikely to get better on its own and it could cause further problems if not treated early on.

About Squint Surgery

How squint affect vision?

  • At birth a baby's vision is very immature, with an acuity of around 3/60. During the critical periods of visual development, visual acuity develops as do other modalities such as contrast sensitivity, colour, pattern and motion perception, and binocular function with stereopsis. Disturbance to normal visual development will affect the maturation of these different visual functions, with associated structural changes in the visual pathways and cortex, resulting in amblyopia—i.e. reduced acuity in one or sometimes both eyes without any ocular lesion. Either these children lose binocular function as a result of a squint or they acquire a squint because of poor development of binocular function. The commonest causes for amblyopia are a squint (strabismic amblyopia) or blurring of the image in one eye due to unequal refractive power in the two eyes (anisometropic amblyopia). Squint and amblyopia are common conditions: about one in fifty children have a squint, and up to 5% of the population have an amblyopic or lazy eye. In view of their lifelong impact on visual function and physical appearance, with consequences for education, jobs and psychological wellbeing, good management offers substantial long-term benefits.
  • When to get medical advice?

    Consult your doctor if -
  • your child has a squint all the time
  • your child is older than 3 months and has a squint that comes and goes – in babies younger than this, squints that come and go are common and are not usually a cause for concern
  • you have any concerns about your child's vision – signs of a problem can include regularly turning their head to one side or keeping one eye closed when looking at things
  • you develop a squint or double vision later in life
  • What are the types of squint?

    The following terms describe strabismus by the positions of the eye:

  • Hypertropia: when the eye turns upwards
  • Hypotropia: when the eye turns downwards
  • Esotropia: when the eye turns inwards (towards the nose)
  • Exotropia: when the eye turns outwards (towards the ear)
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Light sensitivity.

    Blurred vision.

    Dark, floating black spots in your field of vision (floaters).

    Decreased vision.

    Cloudy or foggy vision

    FAQ

    1. What symptoms do children with poor vision present with? When should children get their eyes checked?

    A child with poor vision may manifest in the following ways:

    • Sits too close to the TV
    • Squinting or crossing of eyes
    • Adopting an unusual position of head or face (looking through the sides)
    • Itching or rubbing of the eyes
    • Redness in the eyes
    • Sensitivity to light

    Any of the above symptoms or complaints from your child should not be neglected. Some eye conditions and diseases are hereditary and can affect your child as well. Consult your child’s doctor or an ophthalmologist at the earliest for early detection and treatment of eye disorders.

    2- How is a squint diagnosed?

    A squint can be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye examination performed by a squint specialist. The examination may include tests to evaluate eye movements, visual acuity, and binocular vision. In some cases, additional tests such as imaging or orthoptic evaluation may be recommended to determine the underlying cause of the squint.

    3- What are the treatment options available for a squint?

    The treatment for a squint depends on its underlying cause, severity, and the patient’s age. Non-surgical options may include prescription eyeglasses, eye exercises, or the use of prisms. In other cases, surgical intervention may be necessary to adjust the position of the eye muscles and align the eyes properly.

    4- What is the right age to plan squint surgery?

    If your child is having squint which requires surgery, earlier the better. Getting squint surgery done within 6 years of age can lead to complete vision development including binocular vision and is often recommended. Discuss with our pediatric squint specialists to know exact timeline of your child’s squint surgery.

    5- Do children need glasses?

    If children are not able to see small letters clearly or have a significant glass power or squint, then they MUST wear glasses for all their daily activities.

    5- What is lazy eye?

    Lazy eye is when your eye is functionally not improving with glass power but anatomically eye looks normal.

    Testimonials from our patients

    We understand that clear and enhanced vision is a precious gift that transforms lives. With each individual and family, we’ve had the privilege to serve, our commitment to exceptional eye care has yielded more than just healthier eyes! We proudly share the heartfelt experiences of our patients, who have entrusted us with the chance to serve them, enhancing their life experiences.

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