Adult Strabismus

Strabismus is the misalignment of the eyes. The misalignment may be constant or intermittent. One eye fixates, but the other eye turns in, out, down or up. A muscle too weak or too strong may cause the eye to misalign.

Adults with strabismus may suffer from double vision or lower self-esteem because they do not like the appearance of their eyes. They may also experience:

• Difficulty in driving
• Headaches
• Eye strain

Unlike in children with strabismus, adults are not at risk of developing amblyopia or lazy eye. This is because the connection between the eye and the brain has already been formed. Amblyopia is decreased vision is one or both eyes due to the abnormal development of vision. If left untreated the brain “ignores” the images seen by the amblyopic eye.

Depending on the type and extent of the condition, patients may be prescribed with prism glasses or recommended to undergo surgery. These will help improve double vision and depth perception.