Squint |
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What is a squint?
If both eyes do not point in the same direction, you have a squint. Inward turning eyes, called a convergent squint usually occur in young children. A divergent squint, when the eyes turn outwards, is less common.
If your child has a squint, an orthoptist who is specially trained to monitor children’s vision will test the sight and movements in each eye. Often the squinting eye has poor vision.
Some long-sighted children with squint may have their squint completely or partially corrected with glasses. When the squint is not corrected by the prescription glasses, surgery is usually required.
Eye Examination for glasses
Eye drops will be put into your child’s eyes on the day of the test to widen the pupils and paralyse the focussing muscles inside the eye. Your child’s vision will be blurred during this period and for a few days after. The optometrist will perform the sight test for glasses. The ophthalmologist will then examine the eye to check that the lens, the retina and the optic nerve are normal.
Amblyopia or Lazy Eye
When the vision is poor in a child with a squint this is called Amblyopia and the eye referred to as a "lazy eye". The vision can be improved by wearing the correct prescription glasses and patching of the good eye may be necessary to exercise the poor eye and improve the poor vision.
Squint Surgery
When surgery is necessary to correct a squint in a child it is recommended that this be performed early to allow sufficient time for the brain to develop binocular vision before the age of 8. The surgery is carried out under General Anaesthesia.
We have comprehensive children's and orthoptic services at the clinic.
If your child has been diagnosed with a squint, it will be managed or treated by one or more of: