However, if your child is having symptoms of strabismus or other eye disorders at any age, a complete eye examination should be performed. Eye examinations are recommended for all children by the age of three. Strabismus is diagnosed during an eye examination. How is strabismus diagnosed?Įarly detection and treatment can prevent permanent visual impairment. Always consult your child's doctor for a diagnosis. The symptoms of strabismus may resemble other medical conditions. The onset of strabismus is most common in children younger than six years of age. Children with strabismus may also develop secondary vision loss (amblyopia, also know as lazy eye). If you notice that your child's eyes are moving inward or outward, if he or she is not focusing on objects, and/or the eyes seem to be crossed, you should seek medical attention. However, by three to four months old, an infant should be able to focus on objects and the eyes should be straight, with no turning. It is normal for a newborn's eyes to move independently and at times, even cross. Siblings and children of an individual with strabismus may have an increased chance to also develop it, however, a single inherited cause has not been identified. Strabismus may also occur later in life as a result of an illness, cataract, or eye injury.Īll forms of strabismus have been found to cluster in families. There appears to be a higher incidence of strabismus in children with disorders that affect the brain, such as cerebral palsy or hydrocephalus.
The brain controls the eye muscles, which are attached to the outside of each eye.
However, strabismus results from failure of the eye muscles to work together. Strabismus is also called "wandering eye" or "crossed-eyes." What causes strabismus?Įxperts do not completely understand the cause of strabismus. At times, more than one of these conditions are present. The eyes (one or both) may turn inward, outward, turn up, or turn down. Strabismus, a misalignment of the eyes, is one of the most common eye problems in children, affecting approximately 4 percent of children under the age of six years. Photograph used by permission of the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health What is strabismus?
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