Vision Therapy Vancouver | Dr. Mini Randhawa, Optometrist,
FAQs | about | amblyopia | strabismus | children | studies | eye health
Dr. Mini Randhawa
112-2609 East 49th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5S 1J9
Tel: (604) 435-3931
Tel: (604) 435-EYE1
Strabismus (cross eyes, wall eyes)
What is strabismus?
In patients with strabismus, the two eyes do not line up together properly to look at the same object. In some people with strabismus the condition can be very obvious to any onlooker who will immediately notice that the eyes are clearly misaligned, crossed or turned outward or turned inward. Strabismus is often called "crossed eyes" when the eyes are turned inward towards the nose or "wall eyes" when the eyes are turned out towards the wall. However, it is important to be aware that in some cases strabismus is only obvious to an eye doctor but still must be traken seriously and treated.
Alternative names for strabismus include, crossed eyes; esotropia; exotropia; hypotropia; hypertropia; squint; walleye; misalignment of the eyes; comitant strabismus; noncomitant strabismus.
Six different muscles surround the eyes and allow them to move. Normally the eye muscles work as a team so that both eyes can focus on the same object. However, in patients with strabismus, the eye muscles do not work together and the eyes do not "team up" properly. The result is that one eye looks at one object while the other eye turns in a different direction and is focused on another object.
In most children with strabismus, the cause is not known. In more than half of these cases, the problem is present at or shortly after birth and is called congenital strabismus. Most of the time the misalignment of the eyes has to do with muscle control, and not with muscle strength. More rarely, problems with one of the nerves or muscles, or graves disease restriction may cause strabismus.
Other disorders associated with strabismus include:
How does strabismus effect the patient's vision?
When each of the two eyes is focused on a different object, two different images are sent to the brain - one from each eye. This is not normal and two different images cannot be simultaneously processesed by the brain which is forced to ignore one of the images. Over time, the brain may learn to ignore the image from the weaker eye.
If the strabismus is not treated, the eye that the brain ignores will never see well, causing a condition called amblyopia in the ignored eye. Amblyopia is often called "lazy eye." The onset of the two conditions may also be reversed with the patient first having amblyopia, which then causes strabismus. Other vision problems associated with strabismus include stereopsis (the inability to see in three dimensions) and diplopia (double vision).
Click here to read about the options, risks and complications involved in strabismus treatment.
Six different muscles surround the eyes and allow them to move. Strabismus results when these muscles do not work as a team.
"Eyes" image credit: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
"Medical bag" image credit: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Clinic Hours
Monday 11:00 am - 7:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am - 7:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Dr. Randhawa's blog
