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SQUINT TREATMENT
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Overview

• A squint, also called strabismus, is where the
  eyes point in di?erent directions. It's
  particularly common in young children, but can
  occur at any age.
• One of the eyes may turn in, out, up or down
  while the other eye looks ahead. This may happen
  all the time or it may come and go.
• Treatment is usually recommended to correct a
  squint, as it's unlikely to get better on its own
  and it could cause further problems if not
  treated early on.

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When to get medical advice
Get advice if your child has a squint all the
time your child is older than 3 months and has a
squint that comes and goes in babies younger
than this, squints that come and go are common
and are not usually a cause for concern you have
any concerns about your child's vision signs of
a problem can include regularly turning their
head to one side or keeping one eye closed when
looking at things you develop a squint or double
vision later in life A GP, health visitor or
local opticians service can refer you to an eye
specialist for some simple tests and treatment
if necessary.
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Treatments and surgery for a squint
The main treatments for a squint are Glasses
these can help if a squint is caused by a problem
with your child's eyesight, such as
long-sightedness. Eye exercises exercises for
the muscles that control eye movement may
sometimes help the eyes work together
better. Glasses these can help if a squint is
caused by a problem with your child's eyesight,
such as long-sightedness. Eye exercises
exercises for the muscles that control eye
movement may sometimes help the eyes work
together better. If your child has a lazy eye as
a result of their squint it may need to be
treated ?rst. Treatment for a lazy eye usually
involves wearing a patch over the una?ected eye
to help improve vision in the a?ected eye.
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Problems that can occur if a squint is not
treated
It's important not to ignore a squint that
happens all the time or occurs after 3 months of
age. It could lead to further problems if left
untreated, such as Persistent blurred or double
vision A lazy eye where the brain starts to
ignore signals coming from the a?ected eye, so
your child does not develop normal
eyesight Embarrassment or low self-esteem Surgery
can help improve the alignment of the eyes even
if a squint has been left untreated for a long
time, but any vision problems may be permanent if
they are not treated at a young age.
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Causes of squints
The exact cause of a squint is not always
known. Some people are born with a squint and
others develop one later in life. Sometimes they
run in families. In children, a squint is often
caused by the eye attempting to overcome a
vision problem, such as Short-sightedness
di?culty seeing things that are far away
Long-sightedness di?culty seeing nearby
objects Astigmatism where the front of the eye
is unevenly curved, causing blurred Rarer causes
of a squint include Some infections, such as
measles Some genetic conditions or syndromes,
such as down's syndrome Developmental delays
Cerebral palsy Other problems with the brain or
nerves
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Causes of squints
A squint can also sometimes be a symptom of a
rare type of childhood eye cancer called
retinoblastoma. Take your child to see a GP if
they have a squint to rule out this condition.
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What happens during squint surgery
The exact cause of a squint is not always
known. Some people are bothe eye is held open
using an instrument called a lid speculum
sometimes it may be necessary to operate on both
eyes to get the alignment right. The surgeon
detaches part of the muscle connected to the eye
and moves it into a new position so that the eyes
point in the same direction. The muscles are ?xed
in their new position with dissolvable stitches
these are hidden behind the eye so you will not
be able to see them afterwards.
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What happens during squint surgery
You may experience some of the following side
e?ects Eye pain this tends to last at least a
few days and often feels like grit or sand in
the eye taking simple painkillers such as
paracetamol can help, although children under 16
should not be given aspirin Red eyes this can
last for a couple of months you may also have
blood in your tears for a day or two Itchy eyes
this is caused by the stitches and it may last a
few weeks until they dissolve try not to rub
your eyes Double vision this usually passes
after a week or so, but can last longer You'll be
asked to attend visits with an eye specialist
after surgery. Contact your Doctor if you have
any severe or lasting side e?ects from surgery.