Squint (Strabismus)

Overview

Under natural conditions, both eyes look at the same point and the visual axes are parallel to each other. The loss of parallelism of these axes with one eye looking at one point and the other eye at another is called strabismus. Strabismus can be seen in both childhood and adult ages. Childhood squints usually be due to no any other known cause, may also be accompanied by other reasons of visual impairments (cataracts, eye tumors or neurological diseases). Therefore, it requires detailed eye examination at the first moment it is noticed.

Due to the incomplete development of the root of the nose, many babies may have the impression of squint. For this reason, the idea that strabismus in infancy will improve with time is wrong. In case of doubt, each baby should be examined by an ophthalmologist at the earliest instance. In normal conditions, it is recommended that every child born in a healthy and timely manner should undergo first eye examination between the ages of 6 months and 1 year. In addition, 3-year-old vision examination is critical in terms of visual acuity and timely treatment. 

When strabismus is detected, the aim of treatment is to complete the development of healthy vision in childhood. Glasses, closure therapy and surgery can be planned for this purpose.