Current treatments for childhood strabismus
Childhood strabismus is one of the frequent consultations at our clinic, as we have been treating this pathology for many years. The experience of Dr. Juan García de Oteyza confirms that early detection is the best ally for effective treatment. Treatments performed at an early age yield better results. What are the current treatments for childhood strabismus? First, let’s look at some of the signs that may indicate strabismus in children.
How to detect strabismus in children?
There are several signs indicative of strabismus in children; in their presence, it is important to visit an experienced ophthalmologist to perform the relevant tests.
- Loss of parallelism or eye deviation
- Difference in vision between one eye and the other.
- Presence of torticollis or head tilting to see better.
Strabismus or pseudostrabismus
The main sign of strabismus is the misalignment of the eyes. However, there are situations that can be confusing, as they appear to be strabismus but actually are not; this is what we know as pseudostrabismus.
Pseudostrabismus can be confused with real strabismus because, although a child’s eyes may appear crossed, they actually are not. This perception is caused by various physical characteristics of the nose and eyelids (epicanthus) and may disappear as the child grows.
An ophthalmologist specializing in childhood strabismus will correctly identify whether real strabismus exists or if it is a case of pseudostrabismus.
Patient with strabismus
When strabismus is detected in children under 8 years of age, it is generally associated with amblyopia (decreased vision in one of the eyes). In these cases, the prognosis can be very good since, at that age, plasticity and the capacity for correction are much greater.
Current treatments for childhood strabismus. García de Oteyza Clinic in Barcelona
As we have mentioned, early detection and treatment of strabismus are crucial for proper patient management. For this reason, among others, children should visit a pediatric ophthalmologist from the age of two to rule out any pathologies. During these check-ups, a complete eye examination is performed, consisting fundamentally of a refraction study, an exploration of ocular motility, the transparency of all corneal media, and the state of the fundus.
The current treatments for childhood strabismus are listed below.
- Use of glasses. In some types of strabismus, perfect ocular alignment can be achieved solely by correcting the refractive error (accommodative strabismus).
- Use of eye patches placed on the dominant eye, helping to force the eye with amblyopia, thereby increasing its vision and producing alternation in the strabismus.
- Specific eye exercises (in very specific cases such as convergence insufficiency).
- Use of prisms
- Strabismus surgery to modify and balance the eye muscles. In this type of surgery, the position of the muscles involved in the strabismus is modified in order to align the eyes as much as possible.
At the García de Oteyza Ophthalmology Clinic, we have been treating childhood strabismus in all its variants for many years. Dr. Juan García de Oteyza has served as president of the Spanish Society of Strabology and actively participates in numerous strabismus congresses. This year, he is also part of the organizing committee for the national congress of strabismus and pediatric ophthalmology. Current treatments for childhood strabismus allow for improvements and solutions through early detection and action.
If you have any questions, inquiries, or wish to request an appointment, you can do so by calling us at 934 18 67 89, writing to us at info@garciadeoteyza.es, or booking a time directly on our website at this link.
