When our Eyes miss to work in Synergy

(LHS) Squint or crossed eyes

Eye coordination is the ability of both eyes to work together. Each of your eyes sees a slightly different image. The brain, by a process called fusion, blends these two images formed at the retina, into one three-dimensional picture. Good eye coordination keeps the eyes in proper alignment.

 

Squint is misalignment of the two eyes. Simply put, it is crossing one of the eyes when the other one is straight. This hampers the fusion of the two images leading to confusion or double vision.

What are the consequences of squint?

To avoid double vision the brain starts ignoring one of the images and gradually the child develops amblyopia (lazy eye) or loss of vision in the squinting eye

What is the treatment of squint? Can it be corrected by medicine?

The treatment for squint is surgery. It cannot be corrected with medicine. In some cases, appropriate glasses can treat squinting eyes.

 

Exercises can help in some of the cases of squinting eyes. The squint specialist would be able to tell whether the squint can be corrected with exercises or not.

How is the surgery done?

    • Surgery is done on eye muscles situated outside the eyeball.
    • The actual principle of surgery is to weaken the stronger muscles and strengthen the weaker muscles. Either one or more muscles is operated depending on the type and severity.
    • After surgery, eye drops are to be used for one month.
    • There is no necessity to restrain the normal activity of the child.

(RHS) Amblyopia or lazy eye

Amblyopia or lazy eye is the condition where the vision of one of the eyes or sometimes both eyes may be reduced due to refractive error (glasses), squint or congenital problems like cataract or corneal opacities. As the name suggests the eye becomes lazy and does not see properly. If treated early the vision can be restored.

What are the causes or reasons for amblyopia?

The most common cause of lazy eye or amblyopia is uncorrected refractive error. Squint, congenital cataract or corneal opacities may also end up in amblyopia.

How to treat amblyopia?

First and foremost is to wear glasses if required. Next comes occlusion or closure of the eye. This helps in usage of the amblyopic or lazy eye.

What is occlusion?

Occlusion is to close the better eye so that the lazy eye is made to work. Television, playing video games, doing written work, or putting beads in the thread or any other work by the amblyopic eye is useful.

Glasses should be worn at all times during occlusion.

Is there any medicine or surgery for amblyopia?

In amblyopia, the disease is not at the level of the eye but at the level of the brain. In simple terms, the part of the brain responsible for vision in that eye has not developed. No surgery or medicine can treat it.