Your Treatment Options for Strabismus

Adults and children can have eyes that look crossed or misaligned. The medical term for this condition is strabismus, and it’s important to get treatment for this condition as soon as possible. Otherwise, it could lead to complications down the road. Thankfully, Dr. Randa Garrana of Advanced Lasik in New York City, Long Beach, California, or Pasadena, California can help treat this common eye condition.

What is strabismus?

Strabismus is a misalignment of the eyes. It occurs when one of the six muscles surrounding the eyes pulls the eye so it looks inward, outward, up, or down. Babies can be born with it, too. The eyes usually move in tandem, but when one is looking elsewhere, it can lead to double vision. The brain may eventually ignore the turned eye, leading to reduced or lost vision in that eye.

Strabismus is classified according to how often it occurs, whether it happens to one or both eyes, and which direction the affected eye turns.

Inward is called esotropia.
Outward is called exotropia.
Upward is called hypertropia.
Downward is called hypotropia.

Causes

Causes of strabismus range from problems with the eye muscles to problems with the nerves or brain to injuries. Risk factors for developing a crossed eye include family history, a medical condition like Down syndrome or cerebral palsy, or a refractive error in those who are farsighted.

How is it diagnosed?

To confirm the diagnosis, Dr. Garrana takes your health history and performs a comprehensive eye exam.

Treatment options for strabismus

There are a variety of treatment options available for strabismus. Dr. Garrana will let you know which options are best for your particular needs. To improve eye alignment and coordination, she may recommend:

Glasses or contact lenses: Sometimes, these simple solutions are all that’s needed to correct the problem.
Prism lenses: These special lenses may be thicker on one side to alter the light coming in. Sometimes, this stops the eye from turning.
Eye exercises: Vision therapy may improve how the eyes coordinate and focus.
Medication: Eye drops or ointments may be prescribed in conjunction with other treatments.
Surgery: Sometimes, eye surgery is the best option. In this case, the muscles surrounding the eyes are adjusted to keep the eye aligned. A patient will need vision therapy afterward.