Strabismus: What Causes It and How to Treat It?

Strabismus, also known as crossed eyes, is a condition in which the two eyes do not move in the same direction due to impaired eye muscle coordination. This condition can impair vision and lead to complications such as amblyopia or lazy eye, as well as reduce the sufferer's quality of life.

This article will help you understand the causes of strabismus, its symptoms, its types, and how to treat it properly.

Causes of Strabismus

Strabismus occurs when the muscles that move the eyeballs don't work properly, causing the two eyes to deviate in their orientation. This imbalance can be caused by problems with the muscles, nerves, or brain that control eye movement.

  • Family history.
  • Suffering from astigmatism.
  • Experiencing nearsightedness or farsightedness.
  • Suffering from Down syndrome .
  • Cerebral palsy sufferers .
  • Born prematurely.
  • Having an infection.

The risk of strabismus in adults can be influenced by a number of underlying causes:

  • Suffering from Graves , an autoimmune disease.
  • Having a stroke or brain tumor.
  • People with diabetes.
  • Having an injury to the head or eye.
  • Suffering from amblyopia or lazy eye.

Symptoms of Strabismus

People with crossed eyes or strabismus usually experience the following symptoms:

  • Double vision.
  • The eyes appear misaligned.
  • Tilt your head to see.
  • The eyes do not see the same object.
  • Relying on just one eye when trying to see something close up.
  • Frequent blinking or squinting.
  • It's difficult and tiring to read.
  • Eye strain.
  • Headache.

Types of Strabismus

Strabismus, or crossed eyes, has several types depending on the orientation of the sufferer's eyes. These are:

  • Esotropia
     In this condition, one or both eyes appear to turn inward, toward the nose. This can occur in one eye or both. This type commonly affects infants and children.
  • Exotropia
     People with exotropia (strabismus) experience misalignment of the eyes, causing one or both eyes to move outward or toward the ear. This condition can occur at any age, including children and adults.
  • Hypertropia
     This disorder occurs when one eye is positioned higher than the other. This can occur due to problems with the vertical eye muscles, such as the inferior oblique or superior rectus muscles .
  • Hypotropia
     Sufferers experience eye misalignment, where one eye turns downward. This condition can be constant or intermittent, and is often associated with eye muscle disorders or neurological disease.

How to Treat Strabismus

There are several ways recommended by doctors to treat strabismus or crossed eyes, namely:

  • Occlusion Therapy (Covering the healthy eye)
     This therapy is performed to train the eye muscles and improve coordination between the two eyes. This treatment is usually recommended for people with mild exotropia and esotropia, lasting several weeks to months.
  • Wearing glasses
     The next way is to wear glasses, which is done to help the eyes of strabismus sufferers focus better on an object.
  • Botox
     Doctors may also recommend Botox injections into the eye muscles for those with crossed eyes or strabismus. This procedure can help straighten the eyeballs temporarily or permanently, depending on the condition.
  • Operation Procedure
     Surgery may also be recommended for people with crossed eyes or strabismus. This procedure aims to realign the eye muscles to allow for normal eye movement.

Consult a doctor

Strabismus, or crossed eyes, can make it difficult to concentrate and negatively impact the sufferer's quality of life. Furthermore, this condition can lead to other complications, such as diplopia (double vision) and amblyopia (lazy eye).

That's why it's important to seek treatment as soon as possible before the condition progresses. To prevent complications, see an eye doctor immediately for appropriate treatment.

Article written by Dr. Ruth Nindyasari Budiningtyas, Sp.M (Ophthalmologist at EMC Pekayon Hospital).