Strabismus is a deviation of the eyes. The term is used to describe eyes that are not straight or properly aligned.

The misalignment results from the failure of the eye muscles to work together. One eye, or sometimes both, may turn in (crossed eyes), turn out (wall eyes), turn up or turn down. Sometimes more than one of the ‘turns’ are present.

The deviation may be constant or it may come and go. In young children strabismus may vary not only from day-to-day, but during the course of a day.

At birth, an infant’s eyes cannot always focus directly on objects. They may appear to move quite independently at first, sometimes crossing, and sometimes wandering outward. But by the age of three to four months, an infant’s eyes should have the ability to focus on small objects and the eyes should be straight or parallel. A six-month-old infant should be able to focus on both distant and near objects.

If parents notice crossed or wall eyes persisting in a child four months of age, they should immediately take the child to an eye care professional for an examination. Early medical attention is recommended for another important reason-to rule out the presence of a serious disease, such as a tumor.

Prevent Blindness America recommends that all children have an eye exam by the age of six months.

Strabismus may be present at birth, it may become apparent at a later age or it may appear at any time in life as a result of illness or accident.

Approximately two percent of the nation’s children have strabismus. Half of them are born with the condition.

It is critical that this condition be diagnosed and corrected at an early age since children with uncorrected strabismus may go on to develop Amblyopia.

Certain children may appear to have strabismus when, in fact, they do not. An extra fold of skin near the inner eye, a broad, flat nose or eyes that are unusually close together may also produce the effect of false (or pseudo) strabismus. False strabismus should disappear as the child’s face grows. After a professional examination, a parent’s concern can be quickly dispelled if false strabismus is present.

Strabismus cannot be outgrown, nor will it improve by itself. Treatment to straighten the eyes is required. The types of treatments may be used alone or in combination, depending on the type of strabismus and its cause.

Pseudostrabismus is the false appearance of misaligned eyes. When the eyes are truly misaligned, the condition is called strabismus. Your eye doctor can tell the difference between strabismus and pseudostrabismus by shining a narrow beam of light at the front of the child’s eyes while the child is looking straight at the light without any head turn or tilt.