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Strabismus

Strabismus, also known as "heterotropia", "squint", "crossed eye", "wandering eye", or "wall eyed", is a disorder in which the eyes do not point in the same direction. It typically involves a lack of coordination between the extraocular muscles which prevents bringing the gaze of each eye to the same point in space, preventing proper binocular vision, which may adversely affect depth perception. The cause of strabismus can be a disorder in one or both of the eyes; for example, nearsightedness or farsightedness, making it impossible for the brain to fuse two different images. more...

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When strabismus is congenital or develops in infancy, it can cause amblyopia, in which the brain ignores input from the deviated eye although it is capable of normal sight. Since strabismus can cause amblyopia, which is sometimes referred to as lazy eye, it is sometimes itself inaccurately referred to as lazy eye.

In addition to the visual problem, strabismus can be considered a cosmetic problem owing to the appearance of the deviated eye. One study reported that 85% of adult strabismus patients "reported that they had problems with work, school and sports because of their strabismus". The same study also reported that 70% said strabismus "had a negative effect on their self-image" .

Types

Strabismus may be concomitant or incomitant. Concomitant strabismus means that the strabismus is equal regardless of which direction the gaze is targeted. This indicates that the individual extraocular muscles function individually, but that they may simply not be aimed at the same target. Concomitant strabismus in a child under the age of 6 rarely indicates serious neurologic disorder. Blindness in one eye usually causes concomitant strabismus, with the eye of a child turning inward, and that of an adult turning outward.

Incomitant strabismus occurs when the degree of misalignment varies with the direction of gaze. This indicates that one or more of the extraocular muscles may not be functioning normally. Types of strabismus include:

  • esotropia, or one eye turning inward;
  • exotropia, or one eye turning outward;
  • hypertropia, or one eye turning upward.
  • hypotropia, or one eye turning downward.

Medial strabismus manifests as the inability to abduct (move laterally) one's eye. This is usually caused by damage to the abducens nerve or abducens nucleus. The result is that the eye in its normal resting state deviates medially, as the movements of the medial rectus muscle are less opposed by the denervated lateral rectus muscle.

Pseudostrabismus is the false appearance of strabismus. It generally occurs in infants and toddlers whose bridge of their nose is wide and flat. This causes the appearance of strabismus. With age the child's bridge of their nose will narrow and the folds in the corner of the eyes will go away. To detect the difference between pseudostrabismus and strabismus use a flashlight and shine it in the child's eyes. When the child is looking at the light a reflection can be seen on the front surface of the pupil. If the eyes are properly aligned with one another then the reflection will be in the same spot of each eye. If strabismus is present, then the reflection from the light will not be in the same spot of each eye.

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Therapeutic poison - botulinum toxin used to treat blepharospasm and strabismus
From Harvard Health Letter, 2/1/91

Botulinum toxin, long an outcast in culinary circles, is one of the most potent positons known. But it is currently finding gainful employment in the medical world.

In food-borne botulism, the toxin is absorbed into the body after food contaminated with Clostribudium botulinum is eaten. The poison then paralyzes muscles by preventing nerve endings from releasing the chemical signal for muscle-cell contraction. The paralysis is progressive, usually beginning with muscles responsible for eye movements, swallowing, and speech and continuing with those controlling the trunk and extremities. When the muscles involved in breathing become affected, death can occur.

For many years researchers have been studying ways to make a virtue of these vices. Now the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved us of the toxin to treat two muscle disorders affecting the eyes, blepharospasm and strabismus.

Blepharospasm (uncontrollable winking caused by muscle contractions in the eyelids) can usually be relieved by injecting small doses of botulinum toxin directly into the muscles involved. In 90% of patients the spasms will then abate for two to four months. When symptoms recur, additioanl injections will be just as effective as the first ones.

People with strabismus ("crossed" eyes) can also benefit from the home canners' nemesis. In a recent study of 356 children, the eyes were satisfactorily aligned in 133, or 37%, after a signle injection, an in 90 of 144 (63%) who went on to receive one or more additional injections. Among a subset of children who achieved satisfactory alignment, 85% retained it two years later. The toxin has also been successfully used to treat children whose eyes have been overcorrected by surgery for strabismus. Adults, too, can benefit, although perhaps not quite so dramatically.

Research on certain other disorders of muscle control indicates that they may also be helped by treatment with botulinum toxin. These include severe, prolonged face and neck spasms, as well as voice disorders due to unusual spasm of muscles controlling movements of the larynx. There is even preliminary evidence that the toxin, when injected into the small laryngeal muscles, can improve stuttering. (Medical Letter, November 2, 1990, pp. 100-102; JAMA, November 28, 1990, pp. 2671-2675.)

COPYRIGHT 1991 Copyright by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

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