Squint treatment in adults

Squint in adults

Squint is also known as Strabismus or Crossed eyes and is a defect in eyes which causes misalignment of both eyes or either one. The biggest challenge faced by Strabismus patients is the inability to focus on a particular object. If present during a large part of childhood, it may result in amblyopia or loss of depth perception; if it occurs during adulthood, it is more likely to result in double vision.

Notable symptoms of Squint eyes-

It is quite easy to determine squint eyes when the eyes are misaligned. However, Strabismus can also be difficult to notice which can lead to serious issues in the future. Here are some of the symptoms to be noted-

1. Eyes that do not move together
2. Tilting the head to one side
3. Inability to gauge the depth
4. Unsymmetrical points of reflection in each eye
5. Squinting with only one eye
6. Overlapped or blurred images
7. A pulling sensation around the eyes
8. Reading Difficulty
9. Loss of depth perception
10. Eye fatigue
11. Double vision

Causes of squint eye among adults-

Squint among adults can be a defect which has been noted ever since childhood but failed to treat. Some of the reasons why an adult can be Strabismus sufferers are-

1. Myasthenia Gravis
2. Brain Tumors
3. Head trauma
4. Strokes
5. Diabetes
6. Thyroid disease

In rare cases, it can also be due to loose muscles occurring after an eye surgery like cataract surgeries.

Treatment options-

The treatment options are chosen depending on the intensity of the problem.

The 3 common methods of treatment are-

1. Eye muscle surgery-

This is the most common treatment method and is generally suggested in extreme cases of squint. This occurs either when the muscles surrounding the eye is too stiff or too weak. Surgeries help in tightening or loosening these muscles hence realigning the eyes.

2. Eye muscle exercises-

This is the easiest and convenient method to treat squint eyes at the initial stage itself. This is the most suggested method if the patient suffers from convergence insufficiency. This is a case when the eyes are not being able to align closely for focused reading or observation.

3. Prism eyeglasses-

This method is used when the patient suffers from double vision arising out of squints. A prism is a wedge-shaped lens that helps in refracting or bending light rays. This lens help in realigning the images into a single image so the patient is able to avoid the problem of double vision.

Benefits of eye surgery-

1. Improves visual function
2. Reduces eye fatigue
3. Expand peripheral vision
4. Improve self confidence
5. Improve eye alignment
6. Reduce or eliminate double vision

Risks involved-

Vision loss is a very rare condition arising out of surgeries, although there are maybe minor risks involved for a brief period of time after the surgery. Some of them are-

1. A temporary reduction in vision
2. Double vision for a few weeks
3. Allergic to the anesthesia
4. Infection
5. Inadequate eye alignment