Squint
What is Squint?
Squint is a condition that the eyes do not properly align with each other when looking at an object.
Varieties of Squint
- Esotropia or Exotropia: An esotropia is an eye that turns towards to the nose while exotropia is an eye that turns outwards.
- Hypertropia or Hypotropia: A hypertropia is an eye that turns upwards while hypotropia is an eye that turns downwards.
Causes of Squint
- Intermittent: It is situational which may due to tiredness of eyes or have a constant esotropia for reading.
- Congenital: Children under 6 are born with a squint or develop it in the first 6 months.
- Refrective errors: It causes light to be focussed poorly on the retina. Children with refractive errors may find their eyes turn as they try to focus to see clearly.
- Other causes: genetic or medical conditions such as down's syndrome, developmental delays, cerebral palsy and other problems with brian or nerves.
Examination of Squint
Squint can be determined by general refractive examination on the sysmptoms are intermittent or constant. Some methods such as light reflex tests (including the Bruckner test), ophthalmoscopy and measurement of visual acuity can be used during the examination.
Prevention of Squint
Squint is a medical condition that cannot be prevented. If suffers from squint, regular refractive examination should be conduct to prevent further worseness of eye.
Treatments of Squint
- Glasses can correct squint if it is caused by refractive errors
- Use an eye patch to cover the good eye and get the other eye with squint to work better and reduce the risk of amblyopia or lazy eye
- If squint is cuased by other eye diseases, proper treatment should be done on those diseases.
- Surgery is only used if other treatments are not effective
Problem of Squint
Squint may affects the physical and psychological well-being of patients. If squint is not being treated in the early stage, the brain responsible for vision of the squinting eye may lose function in the long term.
