Prognosis
If strabismus is not treated in time, it may not be corrected for a lifetime. The child does not learn to see with both eyes and therefore cannot see spatially. Often headaches occur as a result of strabismus because the brain is overwhelmed by the constant comparison of two incongruent images that are transmitted through the eyes to the brain. Despite treatment, strabismus can sometimes not be completely eliminated and the affected children must expect limitations later in life. A job or sport that requires spatial vision will be impossible for them.
Prevention
The pediatrician should regularly check the little child for strabismus already in the first half year of life. Especially if other family members already have visual defects, preventive examinations are important. Children do not notice their own visual impairment and learn to accept it as a normal condition, which is why strabismus must be recognized and treated within the first two to three years of life.
All articles in this series: