Strabismus occurs when one or both of your eyes turns in, out, up or down, and is usually caused by poor eye muscle control. This misalignment often first appears before age 21 months but may develop as late as age 6. This is one reason why the American Optometric Association recommends a comprehensive optometric examination before 6 months and again at age 3.
There is a common misconception that a child will outgrow strabismus. This is not true. In fact, the condition may get worse without treatment.
Treatment for strabismus may include single vision or bifocal eyeglasses, prisms, vision therapy, and in some cases, surgery. Vision therapy helps align your eyes and solves the underlying cause of strabismus by teaching your two eyes to work together. Surgery alone may straighten your eyes, but unless your eye muscle control is improved, your eyes may not remain straight.
If detected and treated early, strabismus can often be corrected with excellent results.
