Strabismus, or crossed eyes, is a disorder where the two eyes do not line up in the same direction and therefore do not look at the same object at the same time. There are six different muscles that surround the eyes.
They are supposed to work as a team so that both eyes can focus at once. In someone with strabismus, the muscles do not work together.
Because of this, one eye looks at one object while the other turns in a different direction. Two images are sent to the brain, one from each eye. This confuses the brain, and the brain may learn to ignore images sent from the weaker eye when a child has strabismus.
The cause is unknown in most children with strabismus. Most of the time, the problem has to do with muscle control. A family history and farsightedness may also be contributing factors to strabismus.
The first step in treatment is to prescribe glasses if needed. A patch placed over the better eye is also a great treatment option. The patch forces the child to see through the week eye first. Eye muscle surgery may be needed in extreme cases.
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Modified on: Oct 12, 2011