Table of contents:
- Types of esotropia
- 1. Based on the age of onset of the condition
- Infantile or congenital
- Acquired
- 2. Based on treatment with glasses
- 3. Based on the frequency
- What are the symptoms of esotropia?
- Causes of esotropia
- How to treat esotropia?
Esotropia is a type of strabismus (crossed eyes), which is a condition in which one or both eyes turn inward. Esotropia has several types that differ based on the age at which the condition starts, the frequency, and whether it can be treated with glasses. The following is an explanation of further esoptropia, from its causes to its treatment.
Types of esotropia
According to the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS), the types of esotropia can be differentiated based on the age at which they occur, the number of frequencies, and the treatment with glasses.
1. Based on the age of onset of the condition
Infantile or congenital
Infatile or congenital esotropia occurs in newborns. Babies with this condition cannot use their two eyes together. If one eye turns inward more often than the other, the child has a higher risk of developing amblyopia, also known as lazy eye.
Congenital esotropia can usually be treated with surgery, glasses, or sometimes Botox injections. The ideal time to treat a child with esotropia is before the child is two years old. However, some children can experience vision problems as they grow up.
Other eye problems associated with congenital esotropia include eye drift, farsightedness, and nystagmus, which is abnormal eye movements.
Acquired
Acquired esotropia is the result of certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, or untreated eye problems such as double vision and nearsightedness.
People with this type of esotropia can often treat the condition with glasses and vision therapy, and some people may need surgery.
2. Based on treatment with glasses
Accommodative esotropia, which is characterized by one eye turning inward when trying to see an object at close range, because most people with esotropia are nearsighted.
People can control accommodative esotropia by wearing glasses or contact lenses. If this fails, they may need surgery.
3. Based on the frequency
Based on the frequency, esotropia is divided into temporary and fixed. The temporary esotropia may disappear and come back. This is usually only seen when someone looks tired, sick, only looking for objects that are near, or that are far away.
What are the symptoms of esotropia?
Symptoms that commonly occur when a person experiences esotropia are:
- Eyes turn inward
- Cockeye
- Lazy eye
People with esotropia cannot focus attention at the same place and at the same time. They may only be able to fully see objects with one eye.
Causes of esotropia
Some people are born with esotropia, while others develop it only when they are growing up. This indicates that heredity is one of the causes of esotropia or other types of strabismus.
Even though there are family members who are affected by this health condition, not all of them will develop esotropia. The reason is, there are several risk factors that can increase a person's chances of being exposed to esotropia, such as:
- Family history of strabismus
- Have other eye disorders, such as cataracts or glaucoma
- Certain medical disorders, such as diabetes and an overactive thyroid
- Neurological conditions, including excess fluid in the brain
- Born prematurely
- had a stroke
How to treat esotropia?
Esotropia can be treated with several treatments depending on the severity of the condition and the length of time it occurs. In addition, treatment also depends on how many eyes are affected by esotropia, whether one or two eyes.
Treatment always aims to make the eyes see normally and parallel, overcome double vision, reduce vision problems with both eyes, and correct lazy eyes.
Treatment options for esotropia are:
- Glasses or contact lenses. This method is the first treatment option that is often done. The reason is that glasses can also correct eye misalignment or nearsightedness. If a person's eyes are still crossed while wearing glasses, they may need bifocal lenses.
- Vision therapy. Eye exercises can help strengthen eye function and the muscles around the eyes to improve vision.
- Botox injections. Botox can be injected to readjust the eyes of some people who have mild esotropia.
- Operation. Some people may need surgical treatment to change the length of the muscles around the eye, although this doesn't always work to get a person out of glasses or contact lenses.
Usually, surgery will be performed on babies. In some cases, babies who are less than 5 months old and have mild esotropia will recover on their own.
