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Strabismus services offered in Plano, TX
Children with strabismus often have self-esteem problems because of their misaligned eyes. If your child’s eyes don’t work in unison, visit Lori Dao, MD, at Pediatric Ophthalmology Partners of Texas in Plano, Texas. Dr. Dao has extensive experience treating eye muscle disorders and has performed thousands of strabismus surgeries from infancy through adulthood. Call Pediatric Ophthalmology Partners of Texas today or schedule a consultation online to benefit from expert strabismus care.
What is strabismus?
Children with strabismus have misaligned eyes. Those whose eyes turn inward have esotropia (cross-eyes), while those whose eyes turn outward have exotropia (wall-eyes). Some children with strabismus have one eye higher than the other, known as hypertropia in the higher eye and hypotropia in the lower eye.
Strabismus might only occur occasionally or affect a child’s eyes constantly. It can affect a single eye or move between the eyes.
You might see your child holding their head to one side, or they may sometimes close or cover the affected eye. A child’s brain often learns to disregard information received from the problem eye.
Why would my child have strabismus?
The cause of strabismus is often unclear, but it typically develops when the eye muscles lack coordination, so they don’t move the eyes equally.
The condition usually becomes apparent in childhood; however, adults can develop it if they suffer a traumatic brain injury or tumor. Toddlers may have strabismus if their eyesight is poor, and they require eyeglasses for farsightedness. This is known as accommodative esotropia.
Strabismus can also affect children with amblyopia (lazy eye), where one eye doesn’t work as well as the other.
What treatments are available for strabismus?
Dr. Dao selects the most appropriate treatment for your child depending on the condition’s severity, the child’s age, and their medical history. Options include:
Eyeglasses
Strabismus is sometimes correctable with eyeglasses. If your child has near or farsightedness, they might strain their eyes to see clearly, causing the eyes to cross or turn outward. Fitting them with prescription glasses can correct their strabismus.
Patching or eye drops
Dr. Dao might recommend an eye patch or drops to strengthen the weaker eye so they find it easier to hold their eyes straight.
Surgery
Your child might need surgery if noninvasive treatments don’t work. Strabismus surgery takes place under general anesthetic, so your child will sleep through the procedure.
Dr. Dao cuts the tissue covering your child’s eye and locates the eye muscles inside the socket. She might weaken the muscle so it pulls less or tightens it so it pulls harder.
Following strabismus surgery, most children can return to their routine after 2-3 days. Some might need further surgery to align their eyes correctly.
Call Pediatric Ophthalmology Partners of Texas today to request a strabismus evaluation or schedule a consultation online.