Strabismus is a condition where your eyes do not line up with each other. Most of the time, one of your eyes can turn in a different direction from the other eye. Under normal circumstances, you have six muscles that control your eye movement, they work together to make your eyes point at the same direction.

Doral Health and Wellness Ophthalmology Center have the best eye doctor in Brooklyn that can help you deal with any eye condition. To know more about the different eye conditions, their symptoms, causes, and treatments, contact us at Doral Health and Wellness Ophthalmology Center.

Strabismus is categorized based on the direction of the misaligned eye:

• Inward turning (esotropia)
• Outward turning (exotropia)
• Upward turning (hypertropia)
• Downward turning (hypotropia)

Types

There are many forms of strabismus, but the most common types are:

• Accommodative esotropia – this often occurs in most cases of uncorrected farsightedness and if you have a family history of having eyes that turn in. Symptoms of this condition include double vision, covering one eye looking at something near you, or tilting and turning your head. This type of strabismus often starts during the early stages of life and is usually treated with glasses or eye patches.
• Intermittent exotropia – when this happens, one of your eyes will focus, or concentrate, on one target while the other eye will be pointing outwards. Symptoms will include double vision, headache, eyestrain, and closing one eye when looking at an object that is far away. This type of strabismus can happen at any stage of your life, and treatment can include the use of glasses, an eye patch, and/or surgery on the muscles of one or both of your eyes.
• Infantile esotropia – this happens to children who are below 6 months old. This happens when an infant is looking far away or up close and both of their eyes turn inwardly. The inward turning can start on an irregular basis but can soon be permanent. Treatment for this type of strabismus is surgery on one or both eyes.

Risk Factors

Strabismus is often caused by problems with the eye muscles. but it can also develop because of other health conditions or eye injuries. Risk factors in developing strabismus can include:

• Family history – if your parents or siblings have strabismus, you would most likely develop it too
• Refractive error – if you have untreated or uncorrected farsightedness, you are at high risk of developing strabismus
• Other medical condition – if you have Down syndrome and cerebral palsy, or if you have suffered a stroke or other brain injury, you are at higher risk of developing strabismus

While others believe that strabismus can get better on its own, especially in children, it can only get worse if left untreated.

Taking care of your eye health is very important. Our team at the ophthalmology department can assist you with your condition. You can visit Doral Health and Wellness Ophthalmology Center at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212, visit our website at http://www.ophthalmologybrooklyn.com/, or call 1-347-384-5690 to schedule an appointment.