Strabismus or strabismus (Greek. strabismos, from strabos – wrong, askew) – this is bipolar vision loss. Strabismus is actually a deviation of the visual axis of one of the eyes from the common fixation point.
Normally, both eyes focus on the same point, but they transmit a picture to the brain, each from its own point of view. The brain combines these two images. This mechanism allows you to give volume to the image. Strabismus is caused by improper work of one or more eye muscles, which leads to the incorrect position of the eyes.
To better understand, how the eye works together with the brain, try to stretch your hand out in front of you and look at it, alternately closing the one, the other eye. pay attention, how the hand changes its position. Although the images are slightly different from each other, the brain perceives them as a whole. With strabismus, these two images are perceived by the brain, how different.
Every eye has it 6 muscles, which together provide eye movement. The brain controls everything 12 muscles, and in this way, both eyes look in the right direction. For that, so that the brain can combine two images into one, critically important, so that all muscles work in harmony.
The following types of strabismus are distinguished:
- paralytic strabismus, caused by nerve damage, that innervate the eye muscles
- squint of the commonwealth, the causes of which can be diseases of the central nervous system, infections and intoxications, mental injuries, ametropia, sudden decrease in vision or blindness in one eye.
Causes of strabismus
There can be several causes of strabismus:
- presence of congenital high farsightedness in the patient, myopia, astigmatism;
- trauma, certain diseases, eye operations;
- violation of innervation of oculomotor muscles.
In adults, a sign of strabismus is a double image and headaches.
If your child exhibits such eye behaviors as:
- deviation of the eye to the temple or nose;
- inclined or turned position of the head;
- squinting;
then there is a high probability of developing strabismus and you need to immediately undergo an examination by an ophthalmologist.
Dangers, associated with strabismus
Strabismus – not only a serious cosmetic defect, and the impossibility for the child to choose a profession in the future, which requires binocular and stereoscopic vision.
Strabismus interferes with the normal formation of volume (stereoscopic) vision in the first years of a child's life. in addition, children may also develop a tilt or turn of the head, to compensate for strabismus and get rid of double vision.
If strabismus occurs, the child's brain begins to receive two images, which he cannot match in one. The brain reacts quickly by suppressing one image, to avoid duplication and works with one. This is realized by suppressing vision from the eye, that mows, making it “lazy” or amblyopic. Therefore, treatment of strabismus should be started as soon as possible.
