Squint
Overview
A squint, also called strabismus, is where the eyes point in different directions. It's particularly common in young children, but can happen at any age.
Symptoms
Eyes point in different directions; double vision; lazy eye.
Causes
The exact cause of a squint is not always known. Some people are born with a squint and others develop one later in life. Sometimes they run in families. In children, a squint is often caused by the eye attempting to overcome a vision problem, such as: short-sightedness– difficulty seeing things that are far awaylong-sightedness– difficulty seeing nearby objectsastigmatism– where the front of the eye is unevenly curved, causing blurred vision Rarer causes of a squint include: some infections, such asmeaslessome genetic conditions or syndromes, such asDown's syndromedevelopmental delayscerebral palsyother problems with the brain or nerves A squint can also sometimes be a symptom of a rare type of childhood eye cancer calledretinoblastoma. Take your child to see a GP if they have a squint to rule out this condition.
Treatment
The main treatments for a squint are: Glasses – these can help if a squint is caused by a problem with your child's eyesight, such aslong-sightedness.Eye exercises – exercises for the muscles that control eye movement may sometimes help the eyes work together better.Surgery – this involves moving the muscles that control eye movement so the eyes line up correctly. It may be recommended if glasses are not fully effective on their own. Read more aboutsquint surgery.Injections into the eye muscles – these weaken the eye muscles, which can help the eyes line up better. But the effect usually lasts less than 3 months. If your child has alazy eyeas a result of their squint it may need to be treated first. Treatment for a lazy eyeusually involves wearing a patch over the unaffected eye to help improve vision in the affected eye.
Prevention
Early detection (eye tests).
When to see a doctor
See GP/Optician if: child has a squint (always or comes and goes) or double vision.