It is believed that many people still have the misconception that when a child has strabismus, they must accept it because it cannot be treated! This causes many children to grow up with strabismus without receiving treatment, affecting their personality, confidence, and even quality of life.
What causes strabismus..?
When asked about the causes of strabismus, Dr. Rattiya Pornchaisuree, a pediatric ophthalmologist specializing in strabismus, provided information that strabismus can result from various causes and is often found in children. It may be due to..
- Abnormal brain signals to the eye muscles, causing the eye muscles to work unbalanced
- Abnormal development of the eye muscles
- Paralysis or dysfunction of the nerves that supply the eye muscles, which is a very common cause of strabismus
- Abnormal vision, which is also a common cause in children. It may be due to an abnormal condition in that eye from certain diseases, such as retinal cancer, causing that eye to lose vision. This results in less use of the affected eye, leading to strabismus in that eye
- Strabismus caused by excessive focusing. Generally, children focus better than adults, but some children focus more than normal, including children with farsightedness, which causes abnormal excessive focusing and can lead to strabismus
Strabismus in children: Why treat it and is surgery necessary?
Dr. Rattiya said the goal of treating strabismus in children is to eliminate amblyopia (lazy eye) because amblyopia can lead to blindness. It is important to understand that a child’s eyes are still developing. If strabismus occurs, it will reduce the use of that eye, leading to amblyopia, which means that eye will be underdeveloped. If left untreated for a long time, it may cause complete blindness in that eye. Therefore, children with strabismus should receive early treatment because it not only affects personality but may also cause loss of vision and impact their quality of life in the future.
How can parents or guardians tell if their child has “strabismus”?
Strabismus can be observed in children aged 4 months and older. If your child looks at their mother’s face with strange eyes or appears to have crossed eyes, be suspicious and take them to see a doctor for diagnosis to confirm whether they really have strabismus.
As for strabismus corrective surgery, it is a minor surgery called Muscle correction, which involves adjusting the eye muscles and realigning them to normal. There are several techniques, and the choice depends on the type of strabismus. The surgery is not complicated and is performed outside the eyeball. In adults, local anesthesia is sufficient for the surgery, while in children, it can be done from the age of 2 years and older. The procedure may differ slightly from adults in that general anesthesia is required, but the results are good for both children and adults.
After surgery, the eyes will align immediately, with possibly slight redness, and the eye will recover in about 1 week. The child can then return to a life that is better than before, as if given a new life, a new person.
Additionally, Dr. Rattiya mentioned the impacts of strabismus, stating that it not only causes loss of confidence but also affects personality. In children, when they reach school age, they may be teased by friends, causing them to refuse to go to school, suffer from mental health issues, become withdrawn, and lose confidence. This can lead to social and academic problems. In adults, eye abnormalities are more noticeable than other features. Some people with strabismus try to cover the affected eye with their hair, living as if hiding something, losing confidence, avoiding social interaction, and feeling inferior. This affects their personality and can cause loss of opportunities in careers and many other aspects. Especially if the strabismus is accompanied by vision problems, it is almost impossible to live a normal life. Therefore, surgery to correct strabismus is a good solution. So why let the chance for a better life slip away just because you don’t know that “strabismus can be corrected by surgery”?
Dr. Rattiya Pornchaisuree
Ophthalmologist specializing in corrective eye surgery
Eye Center, Phyathai 2 Hospital
