Strabismus, characterized as a misalignment of the eye, is often found in children. However, reports have it that adults too can have this kind of eye disorder. Though strabismus can be effectively corrected in the younger lots through glasses, patching, eye exercises, medications, and/or surgery, it remains doubtful as to whether adults too can benefit from any of these treatment options. Pondering about this uncertainty, this article attempts to find out and determine the same by delving into relevant facts from the available sources.
Strabismus – What It Is, Symptoms, Causes, and Presentation?
- Explaining Strabismus
Strabismus, as stated above, is best defined as an eye condition in which one eye is misaligned from another, or is turned to a direction that is different from the other. Crossed Eye, as it can be otherwise referred to, has been usually noted (diagnosed) in young children as mentioned above.
- What Causes Strabismus?
The cause of strabismus is typically related to the defective eye mechanism, which presents as significant issues when controlling eye movement, resulting in abnormal eye alignment. Notably speaking, the six eye muscles that otherwise work together to control/regulate the movement of the eyes, effectively help align their position as well to make them point towards the same direction.
While this is how the cause of strabismus is explained as seen in young children, in adults, the likely cause of this abnormal eye condition is the stroke. Besides, physical trauma can also give rise to the same.
As per the American Journal of Ophthalmology, a closed or open head or orbital trauma can also result in strabismus. Such traumas can severely impact the main muscular structures that are responsible for aligning the eyes in their proper position.
Of note, these include the supranuclear, oculomotor nuclei (nerves), and the extraocular muscles. It would be also worth pointing out here that the ocular injury sustained in the event of the trauma also leads to vision loss, in turn, resulting in secondary sensory strabismus.
- Symptoms of Strabismus
For strabismus being caused by defective muscular movement leading to an improper alignment of the eyes, symptoms are visibly different in both adults and children. In the latter, more visible symptoms have included the following:
- Eyes not looking in the same direction at the same time.
- Eyes not moving together.
- Squinting or closing of one eye in bright sunlight.
- Turning/tilting the head to look at an object.
- Bumping accidentally into someone or something.
In adults, strabismus can manifest as:
- Weakness in or around the eye: There is a kind of ‘pulling-around’ feeling experienced in the eyes.
- Vision changes: These present as double vision, blurry vision, trouble reading, or loss-of-depth perception.
How Can Strabismus Be Rectified?
Before embarking on specific methods to correct strabismus, it has been felt reasonable to differentiate (or determine) who will benefit from the types of available treatments for this specific condition.
As stated, strabismus can be effectively treated in young children with the help of glasses, patching, regular eye exercises, medications, and/or surgery. Whereas, for adults, placing prisms in glasses will help improve this abnormal presentation of the eye. If not, this may be corrected by covering one of the lenses of an affected individual’s glasses with an opaque film. Of note, this method is specifically utilized to prevent the double vision caused by strabismus in adults.
Can Adults Be Rectified Of Their Strabismus?
For all the adults out there, facing issues with strabismus, the good news is that they can be indeed and effectively treated for this troublesome eye condition. Sources have suggested possible solutions, such as eye muscle surgery as a successful, safe, and effective treatment for adults of all ages.
Additionally, the claims that people in their 90s can also undergo a successful correction of their squint eye problems (the other name of strabismus) have added a significant range of hope for those who are still wondering about the effectiveness of corrective surgery in this case.
Read More:- The Connection Between Hypertension, Heart Disease, and Stroke
Conclusion
For all that has been discussed in this article, what is left to conclude is that adults can have their strabismus condition rectified. This statement has indeed proved wrong the general myth that forbids people of advanced age from having such a surgery.
A surgical option that has so far only been favoring younger patients, can now help the elderly patients as well, suggesting relief from both the discomfort and the troubled vision caused by this particular eye problem.
What remains to state here is that besides being thankful for the advanced technology used in the medical field, there must also be the presence of an experienced surgeon who can confidently and safely conduct the proposed surgery to provide the expected outcomes.
