Ask an expert: What impact does strabismus have on vision?

Strabismus, a condition affecting the alignment of the eyes, can not only impact a person’s vision quality, but their ability to perform certain day to day tasks, as well as their confidence and self-esteem. In this informative article, revered consultant ophthalmic surgeon Mr Saurabh Jain, who specialises in the treatment of strabismus in both adults and children, shares his expert insight on how the condition can affect vision, the available treatment options and when to pursue them.

What is strabismus?

Strabismus is misalignment of the eyes, which means your eyes don’t point in the same direction. It can be horizontal, vertical or sometimes rotatory.

What causes strabismus?

There are two main causes of strabismus. Some people are born with strabismus, what we call congenital strabismus, and have it since birth or soon after. Or, strabismus can be acquired later on in life. If that is the case, it is usually associated with double vision, whereas childhood (congenital) strabismus is not.

What impact does strabismus have on vision?

Strabismus can have a significant impact on vision, especially if you get it later in life. As you can imagine, when both of your eyes don’t point in the same direction, you see two slightly different images which overlap. This results in double vision which makes it extremely difficult to be able to carry out activities of daily living.

Even for people who suffer from strabismus as children, who are not affected by double vision, the condition can still affect the visual field. If the eyes point inwards, for example, this narrows the amount you can see in the periphery. Or, if the eyes point outwards, from time to time you may have to close one eye to reduce glare.

How is strabismus treated?

There are three main ways of treating strabismus. The first way is to optimise your refractive correction by making sure you are using the correct glasses or contact lenses. This ensures you have the best vision possible in each eye, which can in itself help with strabismus.

You can also treat strabismus by using Botox, a substance which stops muscles working for a short period of time or reduces their impact. For example, if the eyes are pointing outwards, using Botox in the muscle which pulls the eye out can weaken it, improving the control of your strabismus.

Lastly, you can use surgical procedures to completely correct strabismus.

What happens if strabismus is left untreated?

This depends on the degree of strabismus. If there is enough strabismus to impair a person’s daily life then I feel it should be treated. If it’s not treated, it has a significant impact, not only just on your vision and your ability to do certain tasks, but also on the psychosocial aspect of your life. As a society we are very visual and we look at people in the eye. Therefore, if your eyes are not pointing in the same direction, it can really knock your confidence, at any age.

If you are seeking treatment for strabismus and wish to schedule a consultation with Mr Jain, you can do so by visiting his Top Doctors profile.