Strabismus or squint (eye misalignment) is a condition in which eyes don’t line up with one another. In other words, one eye is turned in a different direction from another eye.

Under normal conditions, the six muscles that control eye movement work together and point both eyes in the same direction. If it happens to one eye only, or if it goes between the left and right eyes, strabismus, then, can be described in these ways:

• When eye points inward (esotropia).
• When eye points outward (exotropia). – Esotropia and exotropia are forms of horizontal strabismus.
• When eye points upward (hypertropia).
• When eye points downward (hypotropia). – Hypertropia and hypotropia are forms of vertical strabismus.
• Intermittent or transient strabismus (it’s constant or happens only sometimes).
• Unilateral (it’s always in the same eye).
• Alternating (it happens in one eye sometimes and in the other eye at other times).

Doctors also classify strabismus based on the nerves that aren’t working correctly, for example oculomotor palsy, superior oblique palsy or abducens palsy or gaze palsy. The causes of these particular strabismus types are the third, fourth and sixth cranial nerves.

While strabismus is mainly found in childhood, adults can also experience strabismus. Most commonly, strokes cause ocular misalignment in adults, another cause is physical trauma. But one can be an adult with childhood strabismus that wasn’t treated or was treated and has come back (recurred) or gotten worse. Most strabismus happens because of a problem with neuromuscular control of your eye movement, which involves your brain. Less commonly, there’s a problem with the actual eye muscle. Another factor is family history. About 30% of children with strabismus have a family member with a similar problem.

Types of strabismus

There are several forms of strabismus, the most common are:

• Accommodative esotropia

Accommodative esotropia often occurs in cases of uncorrected farsightedness and a family history of eyes that turn in. Because the ability to focus is linked to where our eyes point, the extra focusing effort needed to keep distant objects in clear focus may cause our eyes to turn inward.

• Intermittent exotropia

In this type of strabismus, one eye will fixate (concentrate) on a target while the other eye points outward. Often our eye will alternate between looking straight and turning outward.

• Infantile esotropia

In this type of strabismus, babies show a significant inward turning of both eyes before they’re 6 months old. There’s usually no significant amount of farsightedness present, and glasses don’t correct the crossing. Inward turning may first happen every once in a while but soon becomes constant. It’s present when child looks far away and up closely.

Symptoms of strabismus include:

• Double vision.
• Closing or covering one eye when looking at something nearby.
• Tilting or turning head.
• Headaches.
• Difficulty reading.
• Eye strain.
• Amblyopia or lazy eye (Closing one eye when looking at objects that are far away or when you’re in bright light).

When do the symptoms of strabismus appear?

Strabismus usually appears in infants and young children, and most often by the time a child is 3 years old. But it’s normal for newborn to have crossed or wandering eyes from time to time. By the age of 3 to 4 months, baby’s eyes should be able to focus on small objects. They should be straight and well-aligned. A 6-month-old baby should be able to focus on objects both near and far.

The sudden appearance of strabismus — especially with double vision — in an older child or adult could indicate a more serious neurologic disorder.

Pseudo strabismus

A condition called pseudo strabismus (false strabismus) makes it look like a baby has crossed eyes when they really don’t. This can happen because baby has extra skin that covers the inner corners of their eyes, or their nasal bridge is flat. As baby’s face develops and grows, their eyes won’t look crossed anymore.

Risk factors for strabismus

Other conditions that are risk factors for misaligned eyes include:

• Uncorrected refractive errors.
• Poor vision in one eye.
• Cerebral palsy.
• Down syndrome (20% to 60% of people with Down syndrome also have strabismus).
• Hydrocephalus (a disease that patient born with those results in a buildup of fluid in her/his brain).
• Brain tumors.
• Stroke (the leading cause of strabismus in adults).
• Head injuries, which can damage the area of the brain responsible for controlling eye movement, the nerves that control eye movement and eye muscles.
• Neurological (nervous system) problems.
• Graves’ disease (overproduction of thyroid hormone).

What are the complications of strabismus?

Some believe that children will outgrow crossed eyes or that the condition will get better on its own. In truth, it can get worse if it isn’t treated.

If your eyes aren’t properly aligned, you may have:

• Amblyopia (lazy eye) or permanent poor vision in the turned eye. When patient’s eyes look in different directions, his brain receives two images. To avoid double vision, his brain may ignore the image from the turned eye, resulting in poor vision development in that eye.
• Blurry vision, which can affect performance in school and at work, and enjoyment of hobbies and leisure activities.
• Eye strain.
• Fatigue.
• Headaches.
• Double vision.
• Poor three-dimensional (3D) vision.
• and might be brain tumor.

Any child older than 4 months who appears to have strabismus should have a complete eye examination by a pediatric ophthalmologist, with extra time spent examining how their eyes focus and move. The exam may include the following:

• Medical history – determine their symptoms, family history, general health problems, allopathic medications being used and any other possible causes of symptoms.
• Visual acuity (reading letters from an eye chart or examining young children’s visual behavior).
• Refraction (checking their eyes with a series of corrective lenses to measure how they focus light). Children don’t have to be old enough to give verbal feedback when checking for glasses.
• Alignment and focus tests.
• Examination after dilating their pupils to determine the health of internal eye structures.

Other factors to consider that help determine the cause and treatment of strabismus include:

• Did the problem come on suddenly or over time?
• Was it present in the first 6 months of life, or did it occur later on?
• Does it always affect the same eye, or does it switch between eyes?
• Is the degree of turning small, moderate or large?
• Is it always present, or only part of the time?
• Is there a family history of strabismus?

There is not any permanent treatment for strabismus in allopathy; here are a variety of temporary treatment options in allopathy for strabismus. Treatment options include the following:

• Eyeglasses or contact lenses: If patient have uncorrected refractive errors, corrective lenses will help eyes remain straight, as they’ll need less effort to focus.
• Prism lenses: Special lenses that can bend light entering patient’s eye to relieve double vision.
• Orthoptics (eye exercises): May work on some types of strabismus, especially convergence insufficiency (a form of exotropia).
• Medications: Eye drops, ointments or injections of botulinum toxin type A can weaken an overactive eye muscle. These treatments may be used with — or in place of — surgery depending on patient’s situation. Allopathic medicines for strabismus are: Cyclopentolate (a mydriatic and cycloplegic agent), OnabotulinumtoxinA (botulinum – a neurotoxin).
• Patching: To treat amblyopia, if patient have it at the same time as strabismus. Improving vision may also improve control of eye misalignment.
• Eye muscle surgery (strabismus surgery): Surgery changes the length or position of eye muscles so that patient’s eyes are aligned correctly. This is performed under general anesthesia with dissolvable stitches. Sometimes, adults are offered adjustable strabismus surgery, where the eye muscle positions are adjusted after surgery.

Patient will need to visit the doctor for follow-up appointments to see if he/she has responded to treatments.

 Physostigma Venenosum

Night-blindness, photophobia, contraction of pupils, twitching of ocular muscles. Lagophthalmos. Muscae volitantes; flashes of light; partial blindness. Glaucoma; paresis of accommodation; astigmatism. Profuse lachrymation. Spasm of ciliary muscles, with irritability after using eyes. Increasing myopia. Post-diphtheritic paralysis of eye and accommodation muscles.

Botulinum

Eye symptoms, ptosis, double vision, blurred vision.

Jaborandi

Eye strain. Irritability of the ciliary muscle. Eyes easily tire from slightest use. Heat and burning in eyes on use. Headache; smarting and pain in globe on use. Everything at a distance appears hazy; vision becomes indistinct every few moments. Retinal images retained long after using eyes. Irritation from electric or other artificial light. Pupils contracted; do not react to light. Staring eyes. Near-sighted. Vertigo and nausea after using eyes. White spots before eyes. Smarting pain in eyes. Lids twitch. Atrophic choroiditis. Spasm of the accommodation while reading.

Cyclamen Europaem

Dim vision, worse on waking, with spots before eyes. Flickering of various colors. Convergent strabismus. Sees countless stars. Diplopia. Disturbance of vision, associated with gastric disturbances.

Gelsemium Sempervirens

Remember China Off is antidot to Gelsemium Sempervirens. Centers of its action is nervous system – various degrees of motor paralysis. General prostration. Dizziness, drowsiness, dullness, and trembling. Slow pulse, tired feeling, mental apathy. Paralysis of various groups of muscles about the eyes, throat, chest, larynx, sphincter, extremities, etc. Post-diphtheritic paralysis. Muscular weakness. Complete relaxation and prostration. Lack of muscular co-ordination. General depression from heat of sun. Sluggish circulation. Influenza. Measles. Pellagra. Ptosis; eyelids heavy; patient can hardly open them. Double vision. Disturbed muscular apparatus. Corrects blurring and discomfort in eyes even after accurately adjusted glasses. Vision blurred, smoky. Dim-sighted; pupils dilated and insensible to light. Orbital neuralgia, with contraction and twitching of muscles. Bruised pain back of the orbits. One pupil dilated, the other contracted. Deep inflammations, with haziness of vitreous. Serous inflammations. Detached retina, glaucoma and descemetitis. Hysterical amblyopia.

Causticum

Causticum is one of the great poly chrest medicines of the Chronic Diseases. The weakening effect of potassium in allopathic overdosing is well known and is strongly brought out in the Causticum proving. Paralytic weakness. Paralysis of single nerves or single parts. Facial paralysis; paralysis of tongue; of extremities; of vocal cords; of bladder; of rectum; lead paralysis. Allied to paralysis are convulsions, chorea, cramps, starting, restlessness, twitching. Contraction of flexor tendons. Cataract with motor disturbances. Inflammation of eyelids; ulceration. Sparks and dark spots before eyes Ptosis. Vision impaired, as if film were before eyes. Paralysis of ocular muscles after exposure to cold. In chorea the right side is more affected than left words seem to be jerked out. Melancholy. Parkinson’s disease (prosoplasia). Epilepsy.

Plumbum Metallicum

Pupils contracted. Yellow. Optic nerve inflamed. Intraocular, suppurative inflammation. Glaucoma, especially if secondary to spinal lesion. Optic neuritis, central scotoma. Sudden loss of sight after fainting. Progressive muscular atrophy. Bulbar paralysis. Important in peripheral affections.

Conium Maculatum

Photophobia and excessive lachrymation. Corneal pustules. Dim-sighted; worse, artificial light. On closing eyes, he sweats. Paralysis of ocular muscles. Muscular stiffness. In superficial inflammations, as in phlyctenule conjunctivitis and keratitis. The slightest ulceration or abrasion will cause the in tensest photophobia.

Argentum Nitricum

Inner canthi swollen and red. Spots before the vision. Blurred vision. Photophobia in warm room. Purulent ophthalmia. Great swelling of conjunctiva; discharge abundant and purulent. Chronic ulceration of margin of lids; sore, thick, swollen. Unable to keep eyes fixed steadily. Eyestrain from sewing; worse in warm room. Aching, tired feeling in eyes, better closing or pressing upon them. Loss of control and want of balance of eyes. Weakened ciliary muscles. Paretic condition of ciliary muscle. Acute granular conjunctivitis. Cornea opaque. Ulcer in cornea. Paraplegia Myelitis and disseminated sclerosis of brain and cord.

Natrum Muriaticum

Feels bruised, with headache. Eyelids heavy. Ocular muscles weak and stiff. Letters run together. Sees sparks. Fiery, zigzag appearance around all objects. Burning in eyes. Give out on reading or writing. Stricture of lachrymal duct with suppuration. Lachrymation, burning and acrid. Lids swollen. Eyes appear wet with tears. Tears stream down face on coughing. Asthenopia due to insufficiency of internal recti muscles. Pain in eyes when looking down. Cataract incipient.

Ruta Graveolens

Eyes-strain followed by headache. Eyes red, hot, and painful from sewing or reading fine print. Disturbances of accommodation. Overstrain of ocular muscles. Weary pain while reading. Pressure deep in orbits. Tarsal cartilage feels bruised. Pressure over eyebrow. Asthenopia.

Alumina

Objects look yellow. Eyes feel cold. Lids dry, burn, smart, thickened, aggravated in morning, chronic conjunctivitis. Ptosis. Strabismus.

Secale Cornutum

Eyeballs sunk deep in the sockets, surrounded by blue margins. Pupils spasmodically contracted or else dilated. Convulsed eyes. Squinting. Eyes fixed, wild look. Cataract, hard or soft; with headache, vertigo, and roaring in ears. Suppuration of cornea. Suppressed secretion of tears. Complete blindness. Double or triple vision. Mist, spots and a veil before the sight. Weakness of sight. Sparkling before the eyes and cloudiness of sight. Exophthalmic goiter.

Cicuta Virosa

When reading, letters disappear. Pupils dilated, insensible strabismus. Objects recede, approach, and seem double. Eyes stare. Pupils get behind upper lids as head inclines. Effects of exposure to snow. Spasmodic affections of eyes and its appendages. Strabismus; periodic, spasmodic after a fall or a blow.

Stramonium

Seem prominent, staring wide open; pupils dilated. Loss of vision; complains that it is dark and calls for light. Small objects look large. Parts of the body seem enormously swollen. Strabismus. All objects look black. Absence of pain and muscular mobility especially of muscles of expression and of locomotion.

Cina Marittima

Dilated pupils; yellow vision. Weak sight from masturbation. Strabismus from abdominal irritation. Eyestrain, especially when presbyopia sets in. Pulsation of superciliary muscle.

Zincum Metallicum

Pterygium; smarting, lachrymation, itching. Pressure as if pressed into head. Itching and soreness of lids and inner angles. Ptosis. Rolling of eyes. Blurring of one-half of vision; worse, stimulants. Squinting. Amaurosis, with severe headache. Red and inflamed conjunctiva; worse, inner canthus. Ocular muscles trembling, convulsive twitching, spasm and fidgety.

Cyclamen Europaeum

Dim vision, worse on waking, with spots before eyes. Flickering of various colors. Convergent strabismus. Sees countless stars. Diplopia. Disturbance of vision, associated with gastric disturbances.

China Officianalis

Remember China Off is antidot to Gelsemium Sempervirens. Blue color around eyes. Hollow eyes. Yellowish sclerotic. Black specks, bright dazzling illusions; night blindness in anemic retina. Spots before eyes. Photophobia. Distortion of eyeballs. Intermittent ciliary neuralgia. Pressure in eyes. Amaurosis; scalding lachrymation.

Phosphorus

Cataract. Sensation as if everything were covered with a mist, veil or dust, or something pulled tightly over eyes. Floaters before the eyes. Patient sees better by shading eyes with hand. Fatigue of eyes and head even without much use of eyes. Green halo about the candlelight. Letters appear red. Atrophy of optic nerve. Edema of lids and about e eyes. Pearly white conjunctiva and long curved lashes. Partial loss of vision from abuse of tobacco. Pain in orbital bones. Paresis of extrinsic muscles. Diplopia, due to deviation of the visual axis. Amaurosis from sexual excess. Glaucoma. Thrombosis of retinal vessels and degenerative changes in retinal cells. Degenerative changes where soreness and curved lines are seen in old people. Retinal trouble with lights and hallucination of vision.

Ipecacuanha

Inflamed, red. Pain through eyeballs. Profuse lachrymation. Cornea dim. Eyes tire from near vision. State of vision constantly changing. Spasm of accommodation from irritable weakness of the ciliary muscle. Nausea from looking on moving objects.

If your child has strabismus, getting a diagnosis and Homeopathic treatment can result in excellent vision and depth perception. Treatment can also cure loss of vision.

But with allopathic treatment, anybody can get strabismus at any age, even if the person is an adult.