Should my child have Strabismus surgery?

Strabismus surgery can be performed in children as young as four months of age and is an important option for older children and adults as well. It's better to perform surgery as early as possible, because the brain circuits for binocular vision (using the two eyes together) are most adaptable at a young age.

Is strabismus surgery necessary?

Strabismus is far from merely cosmetic. It may create double vision or problems with depth perception in sufferers. Surgery is often recommended in children to help with normal visual development while adults may need surgery, rather than patches or blurring of one eye, to correct an ongoing problem.

What happens if you don't fix strabismus?

Strabismus usually can be fixed when found and treated early. If it's not treated, the brain eventually will ignore the visual images of the weaker eye. This change — called amblyopia, or "lazy eye" — can make vision blurry, cause double vision, and harm a child's depth perception (seeing in 3D).

What age is best for strabismus surgery?

In the United States, surgery for infantile strabismus is now generally performed at an early age (age 1–2), whereas in Europe many eye clinics still operate late (age 4–5). The main argument for early surgery is that binocular vision can be restored if the child is operated early enough.

Is strabismus surgery serious?

Like many other ophthalmic procedures, strabismus surgery is very safe and effective, but complications can occur and need to be diagnosed and treated early to optimize post-operative outcome. Generally, complications of strabismus surgery have an excellent prognosis for recovery with proper treatment.

What is Strabismus Surgery?

How often does strabismus surgery fail?

Adults undergoing successful strabismus surgery typically experience profound improvement in HRQOL. Nevertheless, some patients fail to show such improvement (11% to 17% in this study), and there are few previous studies exploring reasons for this lack of improvement in HRQOL.

Does strabismus surgery last forever?

In fact, most patients require just one corrective surgery over a lifetime. If it does come back, it's usually possible for a skilled specialist to again reposition the muscles and restore the benefits of straight eyes for the patient.

Why should strabismus be treated immediately?

If treatment is delayed too long, it may not be possible to completely restore your child's vision. This kind of vision problem can be effectively prevented, so it is important to seek professional advice as soon as possible.

What happens after child strabismus surgery?

Your Child's Recovery

The eye may be red for a week or more after surgery. Your child may have some mild pain and swelling around the eye. But the pain and swelling should go away after a few days. Your child should be able to do most of their usual activities in a day or two.

Can patching make strabismus worse?

While such patching preserves sight, it does little to develop depth perception and can occasionally cause the strabismus to decompensate and the eye to turn in more often.

Can a child outgrow strabismus?

People often believe that a child with strabismus will outgrow the condition. However, this is not true. In fact, strabismus may get worse without treatment. A doctor of optometry should examine any child older than 4 months whose eyes do not appear to be straight all the time.

Can strabismus get worse after surgery?

In general, the more muscles requiring surgery and the performance of reoperations (previous eye or strabismus surgery) will increase the degree of discomfort.

Does strabismus get worse with age?

The risk of adult strabismus increases with age, so the condition can reappear when a person gets older. “Unfortunately, as we age, our eye muscles do not function as well as they did in the past,” says Dr. Howard. “We call that decompensation.”

Is eye surgery painful for kids?

After surgery the eyes are uncomfortable and “scratchy”, but not very painful. Each child reacts differently. Some are more sensitive to discomfort than others. Many children do not want to open their eyes for a day or two.

Do you need glasses after strabismus surgery?

The authors demonstrate that active treatment using glasses was needed in patients with residual esotropia after infantile esotropia surgery, even in those with a small amount of hyperopia.

How long does it take for eyes to settle after strabismus surgery?

What will happen after the squint surgery? Immediately after the operation, your eye(s) may be red, swollen and may feel sore and gritty. Your eye(s) may be watery and your vision may also be blurry. The redness will fade with time and can take up to 12 weeks to settle.

Is strabismus the same as lazy eye?

Most people automatically use the term Lazy Eye when an eye crosses or turns outward. As stated above, an eye that moves on its own is a sign of Amblyopia or Lazy Eye, but Strabismus is the condition that one or both eyes turns inwards (esotropia) or out (exotropia).

Will glasses fix strabismus?

The most common treatments for strabismus are: Glasses. Wearing glasses can sometimes correct mild strabismus. A temporary eye patch over the stronger eye if your child has amblyopia.

Can you go blind from strabismus?

Strabismus is a common condition that causes the eyes to look in different directions when focusing. It usually presents itself in early childhood, but can also occur later on in life. If not detected and treated early, it can have a detrimental and permanent effect on vision - potentially leading to blindness.

Is strabismus genetic?

Since strabismus is one of the major causes of amblyopia early detection and treatment is important for preventing this development. For centuries it has been recognized that strabismus is hereditary.

Is strabismus a disability?

Is strabismus a disability? Having a squint is not usually considered a disability unless it significantly affects how you go about day to day life. Childhood strabismus that isn't treated can lead to a lazy eye, with vision loss in the affected eye.

Can vision improve after strabismus surgery?

The majority of adults will experience some improvement in binocular function after strabismus surgery even if the strabismus has been longstanding. Most commonly this takes the form of an expansion of binocular visual fields; however, some patients may also regain stereopsis.

Is eye muscle surgery risks?

Potential Risks

Eye muscle surgery can cause complications due to the anesthesia or the procedure itself. Specific problems include: Immediate effects: Adverse effects of this surgery can include infection, bleeding, or swelling around the eye. 3 These issues can often be treated without long-term consequences.

Does insurance cover strabismus surgery?

Patients commonly wonder if eye muscle surgery to realign the eyes and fix strabismus is covered by insurance. In a word, yes! Virtually all health insurances, both private and state-sponsored, cover strabismus surgery, as it is reconstructive, not cosmetic.

What is the main cause of strabismus?

Stroke (the leading cause of strabismus in adults) Head injuries, which can damage the area of the brain responsible for control of eye movement, the nerves that control eye movement, and the eye muscles. Neurological (nervous system) problems. Graves' disease (overproduction of thyroid hormone)