Squint or (Strabismus):
It is a common condition among children that affects vision, where one eye looks straight ahead while the other eye looks inward, outward, up, or down. The imbalance can pass from one eye to the other.
Pseudo-squint:
When children are less than a year old, a squint may be noticed in the eye. This usually occurs if the child has a wide and flat nose or a fold of skin in the inner eyelid. The child can outgrow the pseudo-squint.
Causes:
Eye muscles consist of 6 muscles responsible for eye movement and controlled by the brain, where one muscle moves the eye to the right, other muscle moves the eye to the left, and the other four muscles move the eye up and down and at an angle, and in order to focus on one image the six eye muscles must work together, in the case of strabismus, not all of the eye muscles work together. Most cases of strabismus are related to other medical problems, but some sufferers may suffer from brain disorders:
- Cerebral Palsy
- Down's syndrome
- Hydrocephalus (fluid in the brain)
- Brain tumor
- Premature birth
Risk factors:
- Family history of strabismus.
- Cataract or eye injury.
- Refractive defects (uncorrected farsightedness).
Symptoms:
- The eyes are in different directions at the same time.
- Closing one eye or tilting the head when looking.
- Strabismus in one eye when exposed to bright sunlight.
- Double vision.
Treatment:
In most cases, if the squint is detected and treated early, it can be corrected with excellent results. One or more types of squint treatment may also be recommended, depending on the age of the child. Infants and children may need surgery or glasses. As for children over two years of age, glasses can be used, especially to help focus and straighten the eyes, a patch over a healthy eye may also be recommended. To help strengthen a weak eye. Sometimes children are taught to do some eye muscle exercises to help focus both eyes. If glasses, an eye patch, or eye exercises don't help, surgery is recommended.
Prevention:
Strabismus cannot be prevented, but complications can be prevented if detected early, so children should be examined before 6 months and again between 3-5 years.