Strabismus is a condition whereby one of the eyes drifts into a position whereby it is not parallel with the other. The condition is caused by a congenitally weak muscle in the eyes. It is normal to notice crossed eyes in infants. However, by the time the child is six months old, the weakness corrects itself. If this does not happen, you will need to contact an eye care professional. They will take the right corrective measure to ensure that the problem does not persist until adulthood. Below is a detailed explanation on how an Eye Doctor in Inver Grove Heights MN deals with strabismus.
Eye patches
A doctor will recommend trying to strengthen the weaker muscle by making it work more. In this kind of therapy, the child will be required to wear a patch over one eye. The eye that will be covered is the stronger one. The muscles of the weaker eye will be forced to become strong in order to achieve visual acuity since the eye has to perceive things without help. The patch will be worn for the recommended length of time. In case this does not rectify the problem, the doctor will recommend special glasses and eye exercises.
Strabismus eye surgery
In case none of the exercises and therapy mentioned above works, the doctor may recommend surgery. This is normally done before the child enters school. The surgery only involves the muscles that hold the eyeball in place. The main aim of the surgery is to shorten the eye muscles or lengthen them as needed to hold the eye in position.
Dangers of ignoring strabismus
When strabismus in children is ignored, the child learns to rely on the good eye for vision. This leads to the deterioration of vision in the other eye, a condition called amblyopia. To protect a child from vision loss, strabismus should be treated early enough.
The eye doctor in Inver Grove Heights MN deals with giving therapy and treating strabismus in small children. They also deal with the treatment and correction of many other eye weaknesses. For more information on the clinic, go to Website.
