Are you in a panic to see that the newborn baby is squint-eyed? Don’t worry as this misalignment is a common phenomenon in many children. Consul the vision experts to find out the Reasons for Squint Eyes in children and understand the condition elaborately.
Many people think that squint is a permanent dysfunction of the vision system that has no cure, but this is completely wrong. The truth is, eyes can be straightened at any age. However, if the squint eye treatment begins early, the results will be apparent early too.
What is squinting?
Strabismus or squinting is a condition of the eye where the focus of the two eyes is not in the same direction at the same point in time. It can be present in one or both eyes. The squinting may turn inward, outward, upward, or downward.
Before planning the treatment, the doctors have to find out the root cause of the problem. Unless the doctors can reveal the underlying causes, the treatment plans may not be as effective as expected.
Indian children have been suffering from this problem for a long time. And there are specific reasons for the problem. But if you don’t acquire enough knowledge about the same, you may end up accepting the condition in the child instead of trying to help in treating the condition.
Reasons for a squint eye disorder
Squints can arise in both children and adults. But the reasons will be different in the case of babies and adults. However, there are some common reasons for the issue.
Reason #1: Heredity
You cannot deny that genes are the chiefly responsible agents for maximum disorders in children. And the same applies to squint eyes too. If someone in yoru genetic lineage has squint eyes, especially someone in the direct bloodline like the grandparents, or the parents, the child is most likely to develop the same.
A family history of squint eyes is mostly a reason for more instances of the problem in children.
Reason #2: congenital
Some visual defects may arise by birth and squint eyes can be the result of the same., sometimes, babies are born with a squint as the eyes of the child had a tendency to cross by birth. In such cases, doctors can suggest Squint eye treatments to treat the condition within a few years.
Continuing the exercises will never allow the misalignment to head back way, especially when it is a congenital disorder.
Reason #3: Weakness of eye muscles
You must have understood that the squint happens owing to the misalignment of the eyeball. Due to the misalignment, the two eyes cannot focus at the same point at the same time. The condition can develop as a result of weakness in the eye muscles.
- Continuous use of electronic gadgets including smartphones can cause weakness in the eye muscles.
- The glare of the laptop and computer screens often causes weakness of optical muscles.
These contribute to squint development. There can be other problems leading to the weakness of the optical muscles including Grave’s disease or problems in the thyroid gland, diabetes, stroke, Myasthenia gravis, and tumours in the brain.
The tumours can create pressure on the nerves leading to weakness of the muscles. Thus, squint can also be a symptom of more complications in the brain, if it develops in adults.
Reason #4: Eye disorders
Consider certain eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, corneal scars, and diseases of the optical nerves. These can all lead to squint eyes as it will weaken the muscles that hold the cornea at the right position.
Reason #5: Injuries
Children often develop squints owing to some grave injuries. Accidents and injuries can cause squints. Even surgery on the eye can cause squint as a result of weakness in the eye muscles. Injuries in the brain, head and eyes can cause squints in children.
In some cases, doctors can prescribe Squint eye surgery that will aid in restoring the normal alignment of the focal points.
Reason #6: Strabismus syndrome
Frequently, the reason for the squint in the eyes of the children is a structural abnormality in the eyes. An abnormality in the structure of the surrounding tissues can also give rise to squints. If you have been suffering from diseases like Mobius syndrome, Duane Syndrome, brown Syndrome, or Parinaud Syndrome, you may develop squint eyes.
In such cases, you should consult with the top Best Squint Surgeon in Mumbai to diagnose the exact cause, once the doctor finds out the reason, the doctor can prescribe the best possible treatment plan.
Reason #7: Refractive errors
Do you know that children can develop strabismus owing to eye problems related to poor refractive index?
- Nearsightedness or myopia is the condition where you will find it difficult to see objects kept at a distance.
- Hypermetropia or farsightedness is the condition where you will find it difficult to see things that are in proximity.
- Astigmatism is the eye condition where you will have a blurry vision of an object that is present either near or far. The problem is the deviation of the shape of the eye from the normal shape.
All these conditions can lead to squinting as the eyes try to adjust the vision on their own.
Children get squints
Squint eyes are more common in younger Indian children, although they can also affect adolescents and adults. But the highest number of cases happen in children. You have to monitor your child’s screen time right from an early age as watching too much television or staring at the computer screen for a long to play games can lead to squints.
Children have a habit of playing games on their mobile phones. As they keep the phones at a very close distance from the eyes, the glare affects the eyes. As a result, the muscles start to grow weaker, leading to squints.
At Eye Align, the experts suggest explaining the negate impact of using mobile phones and watching television for extended periods to the children to make them aware too.