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What is Strabismus?
Strabismus is a visual problem in which the eyes are not
aligned properly and point in different directions. One eye
may look straight ahead, while the other eye turns inward,
outward, upward or downward. The eye turn may be constant,
or it may come and go. Which eye is straight or misaligned may switch or alternate. |
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With normal vision, both eyes aim at the same
spot. The brain then combines the two pictures into a single,
three-dimensional image. This three-dimensional image gives us
depth perception.
When one eye is out of alignment,
two different pictures are sent to the brain. In a
young child, the brain learns to ignore the image of
the misaligned eye and sees only the image from the
straight or better-seeing eye. The child then loses
depth perception.
Adults who develop strabismus
often have double vision because their brains have
already learned to receive images from both eyes and
cannot ignore the image from the turned eye. A child
generally does not see double.
In some cases, strabismus may result from
problems in the brain. Sometimes, a child's brain may not be
correctly combining the two images it receives from the eyes. In
rare cases, a tumor may affect how the brain processes visual
information. Often children experience strabismus as a result of
problems that can be easily treated with glasses.
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The Boynton Eye Institute is a comprehensive ophthalmology practice
offering a full spectrum of vision correction and treatment services.