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What is strabismus?
Strabismus is a visual defect in which the eyes are not straight and point in different directions. One eye may look straight
head, while the other eye turns inward, outward, upward or downward. The misalignment may be constant or intermittent. Strabismus
is a common condition among children. About 4% of all children in the United States have strabismus.
Childhood strabismus
The exact cause of pediatric strabismus is not fully understood. It usually occurs in healthy children without any health
conditions. However strabismus is common among children with disorders that affect the brain, such as:
· Cerebral palsy
· Down syndrome
· Hydrocephalus
· Brain injury or tumors.
The 2 most common types of childhood strabismus are esotropia and
exotropia.
Esotropia is the condition where the eye turns inward. Young children with esotropia do not use their eyes together. In
children with esotropia and farsightness, glasses usually straighten the eyes. In the other estropic children, surgery is
required to align the eyes.
Exotropia is the condition where the eye turns outward. Exotropia is usually intermittent in children. The eye often turns
outward constantly in adults with exotropia. Although glasses or prisms may help control the outward turning eye in children,
surgery is often needed.
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