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Squints

Squints - Symptoms

Squints - How to prevent?

Squints - Causes and Risk Factors

Squints - Diagnosis

Squints - Treatments

​Treatment for a child with a squint consists of two parts.

1 Maximising vision

  • People with squints should have their eyes checked and glasses, if prescribed, should be worn at all times to help straighten the eyes.
  • In children, existing amblyopia must be treated first. This is done by patching the good eye so that the child is forced to use the lazy eye. When the vision in the amblyopic eye becomes normal, the child will use each eye equally and the squint will be noted to alternate between the eyes.

2 Surgery

  • Once vision is restored but the squint persists, squint surgery is performed to realign the eyes and to allow binocular vision to develop. Binocular vision only develops in early childhood to give 3-dimensional vision or stereo vision.

When Should Surgery Be Done

  • In a young child with a constant squint, surgery should be done once vision is equal in both eyes to enable binocular (3-dimensional) vision to develop.
  • In a child with intermittent squint, surgery is not so urgent as he can experience binocular vision some of the time.
  • If a constant squint develops later than 2 to 3 years of age, i.e. the age after binocular vision has been established, straightening the eyes by surgery can help regain stereo (3-dimensional) vision. However, if a constant squint appears in the first year of life, i.e. before binocular vision develops, the eyes often do not have very good stereo (3-dimensional) vision even after squint surgery.

Accommodative squint (convergent)

Longsighted glasses can reduce or completely control this type of squint. Sometimes bifocals are prescribed if the squint angle is worse for near than for far vision. But if the glasses do not completely eliminate the squint, surgery is then needed for the remaining squint.

Pseudo Squint

Many Asian babies, particularly among the oriental races, appear to have a convergent squint when a flat nose bridge covers the inner part of the eyes. If a true squint is not present after medical examination, it is called a pseudo (false) squint and treatment is not necessary.

Importance Of Early Treatment

Amblyopia if not treated in childhood will cause permanent poor vision. A child with a constant squint will not have 3-dimensional vision.

Early amblyopia treatment and/or squint operation may be required to enable the squinting child to have good vision in both eyes and normal binocular function.

Squints - Preparing for surgery

Squints - Post-surgery care

The information provided is not intended as medical advice. Terms of use. Information provided by SingHealth

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