Childhood strabismus is a deviation of the eyes, in which the eyes point in different directions, which is normally related to the child’s developing eye muscles, so that the eyes do not move in synchrony, focusing on different objects at the same time.
The diagnosis of childhood strabismus is made through ophthalmological examinations, which help to identify the type and degree of deviation, which is important for carrying out treatment. See more about the types of strabismus.
Treatment for childhood strabismus must be recommended by an ophthalmologist, depending on the degree of strabismus, and may involve placing a patch in one of the eyes and/or performing eye exercises, for example.
Symptoms of infantile strabismus
Strabismus in babies is a very common problem up to 6 months of age, especially in premature babies, as the eye muscles are still developing, so movement can happen in a disordered way. The main signs and symptoms indicative of childhood strabismus are:
- Eyes that do not move synchronously, appearing interchanged;
- Difficulty grasping a nearby object;
- Not being able to see a nearby object;
- Close your eyes more to be able to see better;
- Pain behind the eyes, in some cases.
In addition to these symptoms, the baby may also constantly tilt their head to the side, especially when they need to focus on an object that is close by.
In the presence of signs and symptoms indicative of strabismus, it is recommended that the child be taken to an ophthalmologist so that an evaluation can be carried out and the degree and type of deviation can be identified, and the most appropriate treatment can then be initiated.
Main causes
Childhood strabismus occurs mainly due to weakness of the eye muscles, which are still developing. However, it can also happen due to changes in the nerves that are related to eye movement. It is important that an ophthalmologist is consulted to identify the cause of strabismus.
Treatment for childhood strabismus
Treatment for strabismus in babies should be started immediately after the problem is diagnosed, with an eye patch usually being placed on the healthy eye, in order to force the brain to use only the eye that is misaligned to develop the muscles on that side.
The eye patch must be kept on during the day and can only be removed at night to make the baby’s sleep more comfortable. If the eye patch is not always used during the day, the baby’s brain can compensate for the visual change, ignoring the image transmitted by the squint eye and causing amblyopia, which is the loss of vision in one of the eyes due to lack of use.
It is generally possible to cure strabismus by using an eye patch up to 6 months of age, however, when the problem persists after this age, the doctor may recommend surgery to correct the strength of the eye muscles, causing move synchronously and correct the problem.
When strabismus is noticed later in the child, it may be necessary to treat it with the use of eye patches and glasses as vision may already be reduced.
In adulthood, the ophthalmologist can make routine appointments to assess the degree of strabismus and begin treatment with eye exercises, if necessary. However, just like the baby, surgery can also be an alternative when the problem does not improve.
