There is a widespread \u2013 and mistaken \u2013 belief that strabismus is a childhood condition and that, once a certain age has been reached, there is nothing that can be done. Many adults come to the clinic after years of living with a squint because they were once told that it was too late, that surgery was purely cosmetic, or that the deviating eye would never see properly again.<\/p>\n
None of these three claims holds true today. Strabismus in adults is studied and treated, and in most cases it can be corrected with stable results.<\/p>\n
It is not just a question of appearance<\/strong><\/p>\n The correction of an eye misalignment in adults pursues functional objectives that often take precedence over aesthetic considerations:<\/p>\n Added to this is the impact on social and working life, which patients frequently describe and which the medical literature has recognised for years as a legitimate indication for surgery.<\/p>\n What options are available?<\/strong><\/p>\n Not all cases of strabismus require surgery. A preliminary assessment determines which of the following approaches is appropriate, and these are sometimes combined:<\/p>\n What to expect from the surgery<\/strong><\/p>\n This is a procedure performed on the surface of the eye and its muscles, and is carried out on an outpatient basis in most cases. Recovery involves redness and discomfort during the first few days, and patients can usually return to their normal activities quickly. As with any surgery, there are indications, limitations and the possibility of a follow-up procedure in a small percentage of cases, and all of this must be explained to the patient beforehand during the consultation.<\/p>\n What should not happen is for anyone to put off seeking advice because of out-of-date information.<\/p>\n When to seek an assessment<\/strong><\/p>\n If you have had an eye misalignment since childhood that has never been treated, if a previous misalignment has returned, or if a new one has developed in adulthood, the recommendation is to seek a specialist assessment. If the misalignment has developed suddenly, accompanied by double vision, severe headache or drooping of the eyelid, do not wait for a consultation: go to the A&E department at your nearest hospital.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There is a widespread \u2013 and mistaken \u2013 belief that strabismus is a childhood condition and that, once a certain age has been reached, there is nothing that can be done. Many adults come to the clinic after years of living with a squint because they were once told that it was too late, that…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":6185,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[398],"tags":[],"post_series":[],"class_list":["post-6219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adult-strabismus","entry","has-media"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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