Squint Treatment

The Problem

A squint is a misalignment of the eye. When the eyes are not parallel, and one eye wanders or turns, it is called a squint. The eye may turn inwards or outwards, or more rarely up or down. A squint may be constant or intermittent, for example when tired or concentrating. The technical term for squint is strabismus.

A squint may be cosmetic, but in some patients causes double vision, which can be very disabling.

An adult squint may be a consequence of a childhood problem or a new problem such as trauma, a nerve problem or rarely related to other diseases such as thyroid related.

The Treatment

Adult squint can be treated in several ways and depend on the cause of the squint.

If the squint is cosmetic, the treatment option is surgical. The muscles, which act like little elastic bands, is tightened or loosened. This alters the alignment of the eye.

If surgery is inappropriate, injections of botulinum (Botox) into the eye muscle are an further option.

If the squint is causing double vision and the misalignment is small, the double vision can be controlled with prism glasses. If the squint is large, surgery, or in some cases Botox, is the better option.

The Results

After the surgery, the eye may a little bit sore and irritable for a week or two. All adult squint treatments improve the appearance of the eyes and/or help to correct the double vision.