Squint

Squint (strabismus, geterotropiya) is the wrong position of eyes caused by dysfunction of oculomotor muscles at which eyes look in different directions.

Each of eyes is focused in one direction, but sends different images to a brain what each person can easily be convinced of, closing serially the right, left eye. In a cortical part of the visual analyzer the brain combines pictures of both eyes, receiving the uniform three-dimensional image, - solid vision normal so works. At squint of an eye are not focused on one point, and images turn out so different that the visual analyzer is not able to merge them in the uniform image.

At squint the brain suppresses the image received by the unhealthy, mowing eye, and gradually an eye in general is switched off from sight process. The state called by an amblyopia, which is shown in the accruing decrease in sight because of suppression of function of an eye a brain develops. An eye with the suppressed function call ambliopichny, or "lazy". This process quickly develops in case of squint at children as their brain very quickly adapts to the changing conditions. The amblyopia is reversible if to take urgent and vigorous measures, otherwise an eye can go blind completely and any more not recover the functions.

At adults the amblyopia also develops in case of developing of squint, but much more slowly. Sight on the injured eye decreases slowly, but because of a defocusing and transfer of two too very different images, there is an effect of doubling.

Squint reasons

Squint can be inborn or acquired. In the first case genetic predisposition, congenital anomalies of development of oculomotor muscles or a disease of mother is the reason of squint during pregnancy.

Among the reasons of the squint acquired most often call diseases of the central nervous system; injuries, and both physical, and mental; deterioration in sight of one of eyes; the postponed infectious diseases which are the frequent reason of squint at children.

Types of squint

Squint is divided into two look: consensual and paralytic.

• The concomitant strabismus is equally shown at a look in all directions, both eyes are involved in it, at the same time both deviate norm on identical distance. The concomitant strabismus at children much develops more often than at adults. In this case the progressing diseases of eyes are the most frequent reason of squint.
• Paralytic squint is caused by the paralysis of one of oculomotor muscles resulting from anomaly of development, an injury, a disease of a nervous system or vessels. In this case one eye is affected usually. Paralytic squint and at adults occurs at children equally often.

On character of a deviation squint happens:

• Meeting – an eye is directed to a nose bridge
• Dispersing – an eye is directed to a temple
• Vertical – an eye is directed either down, or up
• Mixed – combines signs of several forms

On stability of manifestation squint can be constant or periodic.

Squint symptoms

The main symptom of squint is outward of eyes, visible squint. It is not always a reliable sign, for example, squint at children about one year often happens imaginary. Imaginary squint is connected with features of a structure of palpebral fissures at small children because of what orbits are developed knaruzh, an impression of the dispersing squint is as a result made. Squint at children about one year true can be suspected when one eye is constantly rejected, showing symptoms of paralytic squint, but also it can be simply caused by the fact that bright toys are only on the one hand beds all the time.

In addition to a visible rejection of the provision of one of eyes, symptoms of squint are forced position of the head (a constant inclination in one party or turn) at which doubling, a prishchurivaniye, headaches and dizzinesses, and also unilateral decrease in sight is compensated.

Diagnosis of squint

Diagnosis of squint is carried out to time of full ophthalmologic survey, now for this purpose use the special computer equipment. Carry out tests for solid vision, check deviation, a refraction and mobility of eyeglobes in all directions. At the diagnosed squint neurologic inspection is obligatory.

Treatment of squint

Correction of squint in certain cases perhaps therapeutic means, but the most radical and effective method is surgical treatment of squint. The choice of a method depends on the squint reason, and also on its look. Because of risk of development of an amblyopia and loss of sight on one eye that will inevitably cause deterioration in sight and the second, healthy eye, treatment of squint has to be begun as soon as possible.

If the squint reason in a disease of eyes (a myopia, a hypermetropia, an astigmatism, etc.), it is necessary to treat first of all this disease. Often correction of visual acuity and the measures taken on elimination of an amblyopia are sufficient for correction of squint, especially squint at children as at children's age the nervous system is extremely susceptible and is easily reconstructed.

Apply wearing special glasses or lenses, sticking up of a healthy eye to optical correction that induces to activity of eyes with disturbances, the special exercises stimulating the correct work of "lazy" muscles. The adjusting points can successfully be applied even in case of squint at children about one year. It is necessary to know that nonsurgical methods of treatment of squint demand persistent, consecutive and prolonged use, within several months or even years.

In case of failure of conservative methods of correction of squint, and also at some forms which are not subject to conservative correction surgical treatment of squint is applied. The type of surgical intervention is defined by the ophthalmologist depending on the nature of a disease of squint. Operation is performed usually under local anesthesia, only at squint at children apply the general anesthesia. As a rule, in day of operation the patient can be written out.

At treatment of squint after operation fixing of result is required, and active actions for a training of an oculomotor muscle, are still necessary for prevention or elimination of already available amblyopia. Thus, for elimination of squint of only one surgical intervention it is not enough, an integrated approach is necessary. At such approach squint quite gives in to correction.