Crossed Eyes

Crossed eyes, or strabismus, is the condition where the eyes cannot focus on one object at the same time. With strabismus, one eye will look directly at an object while the other points in, out, up, or down. This disorder is caused by paralysis of the eye muscles or by eye muscles pulling on the eyes unequally. Common in infants who have not developed control over their eye muscles, true strabismus will not go away as a child ages and, if left untreated, can eventually lead to lazy eye and permanently decreased vision capacity.

Treating Crossed Eyes

Treatment for strabismus is similar to treatment for amblyopia, or lazy eye, but the sooner treatment is begun the lower your child’s risk is of developing the latter disorder. Depending on the severity and cause of your child’s strabismus, treatment may be as simple as vision therapy such as eye patches or eye exercises. Vision therapy helps strengthen the muscles in the eye and can be very effective in treating mild cases of crossed eyes.

In addition to vision therapy, treatments for strabismus include:

Prescription bifocal or prism glasses that work to provide proper focus
Eye drops that strengthen focusing ability
BOTOX® Cosmetic injections to relax the muscles in the eye
Eye surgery to realign the eyes

Eye surgery can be performed on children at a very young age. Many ophthalmologists will suggest this form of treatment during your child’s early developmental stages, as it is effective in treating strabismus, but cannot be used to correct lazy eye.

Unlike other eye disorders, crossed eyes are easy to detect even without a vision exam. If your child’s eyes continue to cross after infancy, visiting an ophthalmologist for prompt treatment can help protect their vision well into the future. What’s more, a recent study found that children who undergo surgery for crossed eyes experience an acceleration in the development of motor skills.

If your child is suffering from crossed eyes, please find an experienced ophthalmologist in your area to schedule an initial consultation today.