Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Straighten Your Squint ! - Part 2



When should one suspect it?
The most important sign is when eyes are not positioned straight. When a child turns his face or tilts head to see in a particular direction.
Closes one eye in bright sunlight.

What happens if untreated?
Amblyopia (lazy eye) is a gradual deterioration of vision in an otherwise normal eye. The risk is greater in children below 10 years of age. Once the eye becomes lazy, it tends to be irreversible, unless intervened appropriately.

How does squint correction help?
Straightens the eyes (cosmetic), restores vision, preserves binocularity (To use both eyes simultaneously).

Treatment
1) Orthoptics : It is a medical term for the eye muscle training programs. Orthoptics treat muscle problems only in regards to strength and is usually done using a special machine called the synaptophore. Customarily, all squint patients, especially those whose axis of deviation is not too much, are given a trial of exercises. 

2) Surgery : Squint surgery is reserved for those whose angle of deviation is great or those who have  had a trial of exercises and found inadequate improvement.


Source : Dr.Keiki Mehta, ophthalmologist.



Monday, October 10, 2011

Straighten Your Squint ! - Part 1



Frequent eye turns can be a nuisance. Treat your squint on time!

Squint or strabismus is cross-eyes. It is defines as a condition in which the eyes deviate (turn) when looking at a particular object. Eye doctors generally look for the presence of a strabismus when looking at distance (20 feet or more) near (16 inches for an adult and 13 inches for a child) lateral and vertical directions (up, down, left or right).

When the eye turns all the time, it is called constant strabismus. When it occurs only some time, it is called intermittent strabismus. With intermittent strabismus, the eye turn might be observed only occasionally, such as during stressful situations or when the person is ill. The timing and type of treatment  depend on the type of condition.

How common is this disorder ?
It is a common eye problem, especially in children. However, it is also known to occur in adults. It is seen in three-five percent of normal population. It can occur due to a variety of causes such as hereditary, muscle weakness, poor vision or any disease occurring within the eye, such as cataract in children.


To Be Continued ....