This weekend I am heading to Detroit for an Advance Vision Therapy Seminar. I will be learning more about Strabismus and Amblyopia. I am hoping to bring back more new VT tools and ideas to help my patients.
Let’s talk about what Strabismus! Straight from the COVD website:
Strabismus or crossed eyes, is the inability to point both eyes in the same direction at the same time. One eye may appear to turn in (esotropia), out (exotropia), up (hypertropia), or down (hypotropia). The eye turn may occur constantly or only intermittently. Eye-turning may change from one eye to the other, and may only appear when a person is tired or has done a lot of reading. Strabismus may cause double vision. To avoid seeing double, vision in one eye may be ignored resulting in a lazy eye (amblyopia).
Crossed eyes most often develop in infants and young children, although it can occur in adults. This may also be caused by:
- Inadequate development of eye coordination in childhood
- Excessive farsightedness or differences between the vision in each eye
- Problems with the eye muscles that control eye movement
- Head trauma, stroke, or other general health problems
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To repeat, “to avoid seeing double, vision in one eye may be ignored resulting in a lazy eye (amblyopia).” What does that crazy looking word mean?
When the clarity or alignment of the images from the two eyes is very different, or if the child sees double, the brain may begin to ignore the vision in one eye. This can result in amblyopia. The favored eye compensates for the “lazy eye,” so the child with amblyopia may not be aware of the problem until the better eye is covered.
Strabismus and Amblyopia are easily confused. But as you can see, there is a BIG difference between the two. I am excited to build more confidence and learn more fun exercises this weekend. Keep you posted! Have a great weekend, and I hope you do some learning this weekend too.