Table of contents:
- Various ways to treat crossed eyes
- 1. Cross-eyed glasses
- 2. Squint surgery
- 3. Squint therapy
- 4. Another way to deal with crossed eyes
- Can crossed eyes return to normal?
Double vision problems due to crossed eyes can be very troublesome. If allowed, slowly the eye can lose the ability to see. Not to mention, someone with crossed eyes aka strabismus is also affected psychologically because they are often ostracized or ridiculed. Fortunately, there are ways you can do to treat crossed eyes, one of which is surgery. Not only surgery, you can also cure crossed eyes through therapy. Check out the full review below.
Various ways to treat crossed eyes
Squint or strabismus is the position of the two eyes that are not parallel and looking in different directions. The most common condition of the squint is that one eye can function normally and the other cannot move properly. These eye abnormalities are usually found in children or babies.
For the most part, the cause of crossed eyes is a disorder of the eye muscles that affects the coordination of eye movements. Strabismus usually runs in families.
Early treatment can increase the chances of the sufferer to recover and have normal eyes. Every method used to treat crossed eyes aims to overcome vision problems and improve eye position so that eye function returns to normal.
There are several ways that can be done to cure crossed eyes, including:
1. Cross-eyed glasses
The use of glasses can help cross-eyed sufferers to focus more on seeing. Unlike the lenses for nearsightedness or farsightedness, the glasses for overcoming crossed eyes are prism lenses.
The shape of the prism lens is thicker and is specially made to focus the double vision that is often experienced by people with crossed eyes. This lens works by reducing the amount of light that enters the eye so that the eye can easily focus on seeing various objects.
Prism lenses can not only be used with glasses, they can be worn in the form of contact lenses. Treatment through this visual aid is usually recommended by doctors at an early stage.
2. Squint surgery
Surgery is the most common way to treat crossed eyes. Launching an explanation in a study from the Mayo Clinic, cross-eye surgery is performed to correct the position of the affected eye muscles so that the eye can return to seeing normally.
Cross-eye surgery is a quick outpatient surgery. The average cross-eye surgery only takes 1-2 hours. Before having surgery, you will usually be asked to do a series of eye examinations.
This examination is done to get detailed information about the condition of the squint that you are experiencing. The doctor will find out how much correction is needed to adjust the position of the eye muscles from this examination.
Patients will usually have shadowy vision for a few days after the squint surgery is performed. However, recovery after eye surgery did not last long, it only took about one week.
As with other medical surgical procedures, cross-eyed surgery also has a risk of side effects. The more eye muscle repairs that need to be done in cross-eye surgery, the higher the risk.
Some of the side effects of treating squints through surgery are:
- Swelling of the eyes
- Eye infection
- Reddish eyes
- Shadowed vision
- Bleeding from the eye
- Blurred vision
- Corneal abrasion
Some conditions such as red eyes and blurred vision are normal side effects of the squint. This condition usually disappears within a few weeks as vision improves.
Doctors will usually prescribe pain relievers, eye drops, or antibiotics to relieve symptoms of these side effects.
If you experience symptoms or even serious health problems after surgery, then contact your doctor immediately.
3. Squint therapy
Therapy by training eye movements is one alternative way that can be done to treat crossed eyes. The reason is, one of the parts of the eye with weaker movements can lose its visual function if not trained.
Here are some eye exercises that can be done to treat crossed eyes:
- Pushup pencil
This first method can be done with the help of a pencil. Put the pencil at one point parallel to the eye. Try to try to see the pencil with your eyes. Next, move the pencil away and bring it towards the eye. Do it for 15 minutes every day with 100 repetitions. This method of treating crossed eyes can train the eye's focus ability.
- Brock string
This cross-eye exercise requires 12-30 cm of string and beads of 3 different colors to attach to the string. Attach each bead the same distance between each bead. Position the beaded end of the string horizontally in front of your nose. Focus on seeing the color of the bead that lies in front of you.
4. Another way to deal with crossed eyes
Botox injections are known to be used to readjust the eye position in some people who have mild esotropia (squinting in). As a way to treat crossed eyes, this Botox injection functions to stretch the eye muscles so that the eyes whose movements are disturbed can be easier to focus on seeing.
Can crossed eyes return to normal?
In most cases, squints heal after surgery which is also accompanied by other cross-eye treatments, such as eye therapy.
Although vision may be less than optimal after doing cross-eye surgery, regular eye exercises and use of visual aids can improve the ability of both eyes to see clearly.
To find out more clear information about how to treat crossed eyes, especially regarding the impact and results of the surgical procedure, consult directly with your ophthalmologist.
