Squint eye, or strabismus, is an ocular condition that results in misalignment of the eyes. While treatable, the effects of strabismus can be long-term and significantly affect one’s vision and overall health. Fortunately, there are a variety of treatments available to correct or improve the symptoms associated with squint eye.

What Causes Squint Eye?

Squint eye is most commonly caused by a muscle imbalance in the eyes, resulting from either a congenital defect in one or both of the eyes, or genetic factors. Other potential causes are vision conditions such as nearsightedness (myopia) and farsightedness (hyperopia), an acquired brain injury, or complications from another medical condition like cataracts. Eye diseases such as amblyopia and neural problems can also cause misalignment of the eyes.

What are the Symptoms of Strabismus?

Strabismus can manifest in a wide variety of symptoms, including crossed eyes, double vision, misaligned eye movement, inability to focus on an object up close or far away and sensitivity to light. If left untreated, some of these symptoms can become worse over time resulting in amblyopia (lazy eye) or diplopia (double vision). In some cases, the misalignment may only be noticeable when the individual reads or focuses on a small object.

Diagnosis and Treatment Options for Squint Eye

A comprehensive eye exam is necessary to diagnose squint eye. Depending on the type and severity of the misalignment, your doctor may recommend spectacles, surgery, or glasses that help improve the alignment. In some cases, treatment may involve a combination of these options. Other treatments like patching and vision therapy are also sometimes recommended to help manage visual deficits resulting from squint eye.

Eye Patching for Nonparallel Eyes

Eye patching is a common treatment for nonparallel eyes, in which either one eye is turned completely inward or outward. This treatment helps to reduce the strain on the mismatched muscles and improve the alignment of both eyes. A patch may be worn over one eye at a time from 30 minutes to several hours each day, and it must be applied long enough for there to be an improvement in vision. With younger children, an adhesive patch can also help prevent them from turning the eye away from wear they want to look.

Surgery as a Treatment Option for Squint Eye

For more severe cases of squint eye, surgery may be recommended. Surgery aims at making the eyes look straight by strengthening or weakening the eye muscles. In a strabismus corrective procedure, the surgeon will adjust the fibers that attach the eye muscles to the eyeball to obtain a better balance between them. Additionally, if some of the eye muscles have become tautened or shortened over time, they may need to be cut in certain areas and reattached in areas where they will allow for better alignment. The results of such surgery can often be seen in as little as over months although full results may take up to a year or two.