SQUINT & LAZY EYE

• Squint, also known as strabismus, is a condition where the eyes do not point in the same direction. 

• Instead of looking straight, one eye turns inward, outward, upward, or downward. 

• Squint can be present at birth but can also develop in childhood, or even in early adulthood. 

• In some infants, an intermittent squint may resolve on its own, but a persistent squint requires medical evaluation. 

• Amblyopia (Lazy Eye): The most significant risk is the development of a lazy eye, where the vision in the squinting eye becomes permanently reduced. 

• Double Vision: The brain struggles to process images, which can lead to double vision. 

• Reduced Binocular Vision: This affects the brain's ability to use both eyes together effectively. 

• Glasses:

• Corrective glasses, especially those with prism, can sometimes correct squint, particularly if linked to refractive errors. 

• Patching:

• Covering the stronger eye (patching) helps to strengthen the weaker, squinting eye and improve vision. 

• Vision Therapy:

• Exercises that enhance brain-eye coordination and muscle control. 

• A common and effective treatment where eye muscles are repositioned to align the eyes. 

• Is squint surgery painful or risky?

• Painless: Squint surgery is performed under anesthesia, so it is generally painless. 

• Safe: The surgery is considered safe and does not increase the risk of losing vision. 

• Minimally Invasive: It's a minimally invasive procedure, with stitches that are absorbed by the body and don't need to be removed. 

• While squint surgery is a highly effective treatment and often provides a permanent solution, the eyes may drift again over time, requiring further procedures in some complex cases.

• Amblyopia is an eye condition that affects the ability to see clearly one out of both eyes.

•  It usually develops when a child is an infant or very young and can get worse over time if it’s not treated.

• If a child has amblyopia, one of their eyes has blurry vision and the other has clear vision.

•  Their brain starts ignoring their blurry eye and only uses the eye with clear vision to see.

•  As their brain relies more on their stronger eye, their weaker eye’s vision becomes even worse over time. 

• Amblyopia is a serious medical issue that needs treatment from an eye care specialist.

•  strabismus (an eye turn), 

• uncorrected refractive errors like astigmatism or farsightedness

•  cataracts.

Early Treatment is Key:

• If left untreated, lazy eye can lead to permanent vision loss.

Signs and Symptoms:

• Poor Vision in One Eye: A prominent sign that the vision is reduced in a weaker eye. 

• Clumsiness: Due to poor depth perception, children may be clumsy or have poor coordination. 

• Head Tilting or Turning: A child may tilt their head to get a clearer view from the better eye. 

• Eye Strain or Fatigue: Children might experience discomfort or tiredness with near work. 

Treatment and Outcomes

• Patching: Covering the stronger eye forces the brain to use the weaker, "lazy" eye. 

• Glasses or Contact Lenses: Correcting refractive errors helps the brain receive clearer images from that eye.