What are squint eyes?
Squint eye is a condition where two eyes are misaligned inappropriately and look abnormal compared to normal eyes. Squint eyes are also called strabismus. Squint eyes or strabismus is a condition where both eyes look in a different direction and cannot focus on a single object simultaneously.
To be precise, one eye focuses a spot, and the other eye turns inwards, upwards, outwards, or downwards. This condition either appears by birth or after birth.
This eye disorder occurs because the extraocular muscles, that command the movement of the eye and the eyelid, are unresponsive and not working together. Hence, both eyes cannot see one spot at the same time. It can also be due to weak brain signals to the eyes.
Types of squint eyes
There are different types of squint eyes. They are classified based on their eye movements.
- Hypertropia - upward eye movement
- Hypotropia - downward eye movement
- Esotropia - inward eye movement
- Exotropia - outward eye movement
A few decades back, it was thought that strabismus could not be treated. But, early treatment of squint eyes will enable more chances of recovery.
What causes squint eyes?
Nerve damage to the eyes is the leading cause of squint eyes. Weak eye muscles are also one of the main reasons for the cause of squint eyes. These weak eye muscles result in misalignment of the eyes.
Due to this, one eye looks in one direction, while the other eye looks in the other direction. The main reason is that the brain receives two different signals, one from each eye and the signal from the other eye is ignored.
Squint eyes may also arise due to the following reasons:
- congenital, meaning a person born with squint eyes
- Hereditary, due to family genetics
- Long-sightedness
- Damaged cranial nerve
Other problems that can lead to squint eyes include:
- Myopia
- Hypermetropia
What are squint eyes symptoms?
Squint eyes occur with the following symptoms:
- Eyes that look in different directions
- Immobility of eyes
- closing one eye due to bright sunlight
- Low peripheral vision
- Poor depth perception
What are the risk factors involved in squint eyes?
- Family History – People who have a family history of squint eyes are likely to be affected by squint eyes. Be cautious under these circumstances.
- Refractive Error – People who suffer from Hyperopia are prone to squint eyes.
- Medical Conditions – People with stroke complaints are more likely to develop a squint eye.
Squint eye treatments
Treatments for squint eyes include:
Glasses: Glasses are the best option for squint eyes. Many victims of squint eyes consider it an effective way of solving squint eye problems.
Eye-patch: An eye patch aids in correcting a squint eye. An eye patch can be worn only in the good eye; this can get the other eye, the one with a squint, to perform better. Treatment with an eye patch efficiently improves the vision of a person who has squint eyes.
Exercises: Exercises can sometimes work out more than medical treatment. Joint eye exercises like Pencil Pushups and Barrel Card exercises are often part of a squint eye correction treatment.
Pencil Pushups: Pencil push-ups are simple eye exercises that help both eyes focus on the same point. Hold a pencil to the length of your arm and focus on it steadily. Move the pencil slowly towards you without losing focus.
Barrel Card:
- Draw three red barrels of equal size on one end of a card. Do the same thing in green on the other end.
- Vertically hold the card against your nose. Now, stare at the largest barrel until it becomes a single image. Focus without any distraction for a minimum of up to 10 seconds.
- Then, Repeat the process for about 5 minutes.
Surgery: When none of the treatments works, surgery is the only final option for recovery from squint eyes. Squint eye surgery can realign the eyes and retrieve binocular vision.
Botulinum toxin injection: This injection is directly injected into the muscle surface of the eye. The doctor recommends this treatment only under the circumstances when signs and symptoms appear suddenly. The Botox injection weakens the injected muscle, which can help the weak eyes align properly.
Eye drops: Eye drops can opt only after doctor examination and treatment.
Summing up
The purpose of this article is to boost confidence in those who are victimised by squint eyes. It is a curable eye disorder, and it would be better if you went for treatment in the initial stage. The world has become more efficient, and you need not panic about petty things. Regular exercise, medications and proper treatment from the doctor are sufficient to get rid of squint eyes.
