Squint
What is Squint?
Squint is also known as strabismus when one eye of a person doesn’t align with the
other eye, hence both the eyes don’t look at the same spot at the same time. It can be
constant or intermittent. It can happen when one of the muscles is weak, stiff, or not
working properly. Other causes can be any problem at the brain level that is affecting
the ability of the eye to work properly. It is commonly seen in young age groups but can
happen at any point in life. Some kids will have squint in the early months of life but it
slowly improves once vision improves with age, but very few patients might not outgrow squint.
What are the types of Squint?
There are 4 common types of Squint:
- Hypotropia: when eyes move upward.
- Hypertropia: when eyes move downwards.
- Esotropia: when eyes move nasally.
- Exotropia : when eyes move temporally.
What are the symptoms of Squint?
The symptoms include:
- Deviation of one eye.
- Decreased vision in the deviated eye (the brain starts ignoring the image from the deviated eye and hence the vision in that eye starts becoming weak).
- Double vision is seen commonly in adults when the patient has good vision in both eyes and since brain development is over hence suppressing one image by the brain is not very easy hence both the image gets focused resulting in double vision.
What causes Squint?
Squint can be caused by:
1) Decreased vision in squinting eye.
2) Aberrant nerve supply.
3) Weak or paralyzed eye muscle.
4) Uncorrected high distant vision (in an attempt to see excessing focusing happens and hence accommodative esotropia develops).
5) Cataract.
6) Diabetes.
7) Brain tumor.
How to check for Squint?
Your eye care professional will check the visual acuity of both eyes. He or she will also do the required tests to assess the amount of deviation in the
eyes. If a neurological cause is suspected a brain scan like MRI or CT might be advised.
What is the treatment for Squint?
1) Glasses are advised if decreased vision is suspected as the cause of squint.
2) Some eye exercises and vision therapy are also advised for strengthening the eye muscles.
3) If surgery is required the number of muscles to be operated on and the sequence and planning will be discussed.
4) If the squint is sudden in onset imaging is advised so as to rule out any brain abnormality.
5) For temporary relief of deviation of the eye injection can also be given in the muscle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) -
Squint eyes, also known as strabismus, can be caused by various factors such as muscle imbalance, nerve abnormalities, or issues with eye coordination. In some cases, underlying conditions like uncorrected refractive errors or neurological disorders may contribute to the development of squint. we suggest you contact us for more details.
Yes, a squint eye can often be corrected through various treatment options depending on the severity and underlying cause. These may include prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, vision therapy exercises, eye muscle surgery, or a combination of these approaches. we suggest you contact us for more details.
When someone squints, it means their eyes are not properly aligned and do not point in the same direction. This misalignment can result in one eye looking straight ahead while the other deviates inward, outward, upward, or downward. we suggest you contact us for more details.
Squint, also known as strabismus, is a condition characterized by misalignment of the eyes. While it is not considered a disease, it is a disorder of eye coordination that can affect visual function and depth perception. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are important to prevent complications and improve eye alignment and function. we suggest you contact us for more details.