Strabismus is a medical term describing an eye turn either horizontally (one or both eyes pointing in or out) or vertically (one eye pointing more upward or downward versus the other). The eyes do not team well with one another. This may cause a person to experience diplopia, or double vision, at all times or for specific distances. A person may also experience headaches or eye strain with specific activities because one eye is doing most of the work and becoming fatigued more easily. The symptoms will vary depending on the magnitude of the eye turn.
A comprehensive eye examination at Bridgetown Optometric Associates includes an evaluation of how the visual system is performing in the distance and at near. If you are noticing specific areas of concern, that is helpful information to share with your optometric provider to help determine the best course of action. If you are noticing a sudden change in double vision, that warrants a more urgent evaluation with your optometric provider.
There are times that corrective lenses (glasses or contact lenses) resolve an eye turn. Other times, we may need to employ the use of prism lenses, which move the images to the eyes to help the eyes team better with one another. If the eye turn is large enough, a surgical and/or vision therapy evaluation may be recommended.
