Strabismus is when the eyes don't line up and look in the same direction (sometimes called a "wandering eye"). Early treatment is important to prevent vision problems. Use these instructions to care for your child.
Your child will see an ophthalmologist (eye doctor). They will check your child's vision and find the cause of the strabismus (streh-BIZ-mis). They will recommend treatment, which will include one or more of the following:
Be sure to follow up when the eye doctor recommends. This way, they can check to see if the strabismus is getting better and change the treatment, if needed.
What causes strabismus? The cause of strabismus is not always known. Sometimes, it's caused by a problem in the muscles that move the eyes. It's more common in premature (born early) babies and tends to run in families.
Why is it important to treat strabismus? If the eyes don't line up, each eye sends a different view to the brain. The brain handles this by ignoring the view coming from one eye. Over time, the ignored eye gets weaker and doesn't see as well (called amblyopia). If strabismus is treated early (typically, before a child is 8 years old), the vision in the weak eye usually can get better. If it's treated too late, the vision changes can be permanent.
