The treatment for strabismus in the baby should be started right after the diagnosis of the problem with the placement of an eye patch in the healthy eye, in order to force the brain to use only the eye that is misaligned and develop the muscles on that side.
The eye patch should be kept during the day and can only be removed at night for the baby to sleep more comfortably. If the eye patch is not always used during the day, the baby's brain can compensate for the visual change, ignoring the image transmitted by the squinting eye and causing amblyopia, which is the loss of vision in one eye due to lack of use.
Generally, it is possible to cure strabismus with the use of an eye patch until 6 months of age, however, when the problem persists after that age, the doctor may recommend having surgery to correct the strength of the eye muscles, causing move in sync and fix the problem.
Learn more about when surgery is indicated: When to have surgery for strabismus.
When strabismus is noticed later in the child, it may be necessary to do the treatment with the use of eye patches and glasses as the vision may already be reduced.
In adulthood, the ophthalmologist can make routine appointments to assess the degree of strabismus to start treatment with eye exercises, if necessary. However, as with the baby, surgery can also be an alternative when the problem does not improve.
What can cause strabismus in the baby
Strabismus in babies is a very common problem up to 6 months of age, especially in premature babies, as the eye muscles are not yet fully developed, causing them to move in a little synchronized way and focusing on different objects at the same time.
However, strabismus can develop at any age, and its most common symptoms include:
- Eyes that do not move in a synchronized manner, appearing to be exchanged; Difficulty grasping a nearby object; Not being able to see a nearby object.
In addition to these symptoms, the baby may also constantly tilt his head to the side, especially when he needs to focus on a nearby object.
