Strabismus

Misalignment of the visual axes of the eyes; may be latent or manifest and, if manifest, it may be constant or intermittent.

Common cause of diplopia (double vision) and visual confusion (seeing different objects in the same place) in adults.

Important cause for amblyopia (decreased vision in an anatomically normal eye caused by suppression) in children.

May be esthetically obvious to the patient and others, resulting in psychosocial problems.

Evaluation involves a detailed medical history, including a complete ocular history, followed by thorough neurologic and ophthalmic examinations.

Treatment is directed at restoring and maintaining ocular alignment, eliminating diplopia or visual confusion, enabling binocular vision, and restoring normal appearance.

If strabismus is secondary to an underlying cause (e.g., abducens nerve [cranial nerve VI] palsy causing esotropia), treatment of this condition is necessary.

Strabismus refers to a misalignment of the eyes. If strabismus develops in adults, it can cause diplopia (double vision) and visual confusion (seeing different objects in the same location), and it is an important cause of amblyopia in children.[1]US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for visual impairment in children ages 1 to 5: recommendation statement. Sep 2017 [internet publication]. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/UpdateSummaryFinal/vision-in-children-ages-6-months-to-5-years-screening Whereas normally both eyes fixate (look at) the object of interest, in strabismus one eye fixates and the other (nonfixating eye) is deviated.