Forms of strabismus | Squint

Forms of strabismus

Early childhood squint syndromeEarly childhood squint occurs in the first 6 months of life. Other neurological causes (neurology) must be excluded. Presumably there is a developmental defect which prevents the child from seeing with both eyes.

The brain is therefore unable to merge the image of the right eye and the image of the left eye into one. This is the most common form of strabismus. Normosensory late strabismusThis form of strabismus occurs after the age of 1 year.

Seeing with two eyes is already mature. There is no defect of any developmental system. Surgery must be performed immediately to maintain the ability to “see with both eyes” so that only one image is formed in the brain.

This form of strabismus is much rarer. There are also strabismus forms of other genesis, such as eye muscle paralysis. Strabismus does not always have to occur at an immediately recognizable, large squint angle: micro-strabismus describes a one-sided strabismus with a very small angle.

In addition, strabismus can also occur at high altitudes, known as high-altitude strabismus. Not every child who looks as if he or she is strabismus is actually strabismus. In some children, a broad bridge of the nose can only feign strabismus.

The “white” in the eye appears larger on one side than the other.A very simple method to exclude strabismus, which can be used by parents, is to compare the corneal reflexes. When the eyes are illuminated by a light source coming from straight ahead and in front, the reflexes should be symmetrical. If this is the case, there is no strabismus. Further clarification should, however, be carried out by the ophthalmologist (specialist in ophthalmology), since untreated strabismus or strabismus treated too late can lead to serious late effects.

Cause

The cause of strabismus varies depending on the type of strabismus. In other words: Every type of strabismus has a different cause. In the case of concomitant strabismus, often no cause can be found at all.

Incomitant strabismus, on the other hand, can certainly be fathomed. Strabismus can therefore have many different causes. For example, muscles that move the eye can be paralyzed. There are again different causes for these paralyses.