A squint eye is a medical condition where the eyes are not aligned well. Both eyes do not look in the same direction at a time. One eye either looks upwards, downwards, inwards, or outwards, whereas the other eye looks on the actual spot. If a person has a squint eye, it looks like they are looking somewhere else.
Some people have a squint eye all the time, whereas some people have squint eye only at certain times.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Squint Eye?
The signs of squint eyes are directly visible. If you have a squint eye, the eye does not look straight. However, if the squint eye is mild, it is less noticeable.
The following are the signs of squint eye:
- Blurred vision
- Dual vision
- Difficult to make eye contact while talking to someone
- Eyes moving in a different direction
- Kids who have squint eye close only one eye when exposed to the sun
- Confusion in vision
What Causes Squint Eye?
It can be difficult to determine the exact cause of squint eye. In some cases, an unusual look of eyes is considered a squint eye, but it is not.
The following are some of the common causes of squint eye:
- Hereditary: The chances of squint eye are high if your family members have it.
- Congenital: It means a child is born with a squint eye or it is developed within 6 months of the birth.
- Long sight: People who have long sight need to focus more to see things clearly. This increases the chances of a squint eye.
- Illness during childhood: Any illness during childhood such as chickenpox, or measles can also cause squint eye.
- Damage to nerves: If the baby is delivered with difficulty or illness, the nerves may get damaged, causing squint eye.
- Weak eye muscles: Weak eye muscles can also lead to this condition.
- Refractive errors: If the eye cannot focus on the light, it is called a refractive error. Common refractive errors such as Myopia, hypermetropia, and astigmatism can also cause squint eye.
What are the Different Types of Squint Eye?
There are different types of squint eye such as the following:
- Hypertropia, where the eye turns upwards
- Esotropia, where the eye turns inwards
- Exotropia, where the eye turns outwards
- Hypotropia, where the eye turns downwards
- Constant squint which is present all the time
- Intermittent squint which comes and goes
- Concomitant squint in which the severity of squint is the same in all the directions
- Incomitant squint, where the degree of squint varies from one direction to another
How is Squint Eye Diagnosed?
A squint eye should be diagnosed at the earliest possible to get the proper treatment and improve the vision. Routine eye check-ups should be performed for new babies. If the squint eye is intermittent for a child, it can go on its own within a few months. If the squint eye is fixed, it can be permanent if it is left untreated.
To know the child’s vision, the Ophthalmologists may conduct tests such as covering and uncovering each eye one after another. This helps to determine which eye is squint.
What are the Treatment Options for Squint Eye?
If the squint eye is treated at the earliest, risk of lazy eye and amblyopia can be reduced. The treatment options include:
- Practising eye muscle exercise can help to correct the alignment of the eyes.
- If long eyesight is causing squint eyes, eyeglasses can be used to correct it.
- To treat lazy eye and amblyopia, an eye patch is applied to the effective eye. This makes the squint eye work better.
- Botox injections can be given to the muscles that are on the eye surface. It is effective if there is no underlying cause of squint eye.
- If other treatments do not work, surgery might be performed to realign the eyes and improve the appearance of the eyes.
Visit Think Eye Hospital for Squint Eye Treatment
Think Eye Hospital is one of the Best Eye Hospitals in Hyderabad established by two experienced ophthalmologists. Our mission is to make eye care solutions available for every individual who visits us. We use the latest diagnostic and therapeutic surgical equipment to provide high-quality eye care services. To schedule your appointment, call us.
