Question
A three-year-old girl is experiencing symptoms of strabismus, which are sometimes obvious and sometimes not. The parent wants to know how to treat this condition.
Answer
Strabismus, medically known as “esotropia,” is a type of eye misalignment. The treatment methods primarily consist of two types: non-surgical therapy and surgical correction. Non-surgical therapy is suitable for mild degrees of congenital strabismus and usually involves wearing glasses. If wearing glasses can resolve the accommodative issue, the eye position can return to normal. However, if the strabismus symptoms persist after 1 to 2 years of non-surgical treatment, an ophthalmic surgical procedure should be performed on the basis of wearing glasses to correct the eye position. This can prevent the occurrence and development of amblyopia and avoid deformities in the head and facial area as well as the spine. It is recommended to undergo strabismus surgery treatment before the age of 12.