Squint

Can you explain to us what is Squint ? And what is the treatment.

When you look at something both your eyes are looking together.

Therefore this requires three or four assumptions for good vision.

One, your eyes are aligned in same direction.

Two, they have to move in conjunction.

Imagine a chariot, that is your brain, the 2 horses are the eyes and the multiple 8-10 reins are the muscles. The horses have to be of same strength, same speed and to turn together on pull of reins.

Thirdly your eyes have to be seeing clearly (means they have NO refractive errors).

Fourthly your brain has to be able to mix all the images (messages) from both eyes and show you one picture (with depth, 3 Dimension).

To understand how 2 eyes are different and yet brain mixes and show you one Picture, do this experiment.

Close your left eye and look at a scene with right eye, now close right eye and look at same scene with left eye. This is how 2 different pictures are then mixed by the brain and you see a single picture.

Now, when the 2 eyes are not aligned straight , in simple words it is known as Squint. (Your horses are not in synchronicity)

The commonest cause in children is Refractive error, and hence the treatment is right correction, that is Glasses/ Spectacles.  Therefore every child, should be seen by a Kids Eye Doctor , at the latest by four years of age. Especially Kids with Squint should be seen as early as possible..

There are other causes of Squint too : Birth Trauma, Infection, Paralysis, Weakness of Muscle, Weak eye, Lazy eye, etc etc.

Everything can be treated. But how much treatment is necessary, when to treat, how to treat, whether to delay is the decision of the Kids Eye Doctor.

The next common treatment for Squint is Surgery. Where the muscle is shortened, lengthened or position is changed. This sounds easy, but is a delicate surgery, as you have to adjust the 8-10 reins of your horses, so that the horses align perfectly.

Trust your Kids  Eye Doctor and ask as many questions as need be.

The other treatments of Squint are dependent on the specific cause.

What if we do not treat the Squint, as per the instructions of Kids Eye Doctor?

Then you stand to definitely have one of these, or more:

Permanent Squinting Eyes.

Weak Eyes.

Double Vision.

Impaired mobility for lifetime of the child.

Abnormal head posture, leading to it becoming permanent.  .