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Childhood Strabismus
Misalignment of the two eyes
The American Academy of Pediatric Opthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) has a detailed account of strabismus and pediatric eye disease.
The normal ocular system controls our eyes to be precisely aligned to allow simultaneous binocular vision. Nonetheless, many children are born with or develop a condition called strabismus where one, or both, eyes are misaligned. Strabismus can present challenges to vision and appearance. It deserves prompt recognition and treatment.
There are several common types of strabismus:
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Esotropia - the eyes deviate inwardly
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Exotropia - the eyes deviate outwardly
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Hypertropia - the eyes deviate vertically
It is not always easy for a parent to detect strabismus in their child. One might notice a lazy eye in the first months of life. Sometimes it progresses slowly after a child becomes 2-3 years of age. It's not easy to identify and a pediatrician or a pediatric ophthalmologist (like Dr. Safran) can help.