👁️ Special Senses🟢 BasicOcular Motility

Squint (Strabismus) and Amblyopia

Misalignment of the eyes and the lazy eye that can result when the brain suppresses the image from one eye in childhood.

Key points

A squint (strabismus) is a misalignment of the eyes, so that the two eyes do not point at the same object.
In children, the brain may suppress the image from the squinting eye to avoid seeing double.
If this continues during the years when sight is developing, that eye can become permanently weak-sighted, called amblyopia; amblyopia can also arise from a large refractive difference between the eyes or from visual deprivation.
Squints are detected by watching the reflection of a light on the eyes and by the cover test.
Because amblyopia is preventable if caught early, detecting a childhood squint promptly matters greatly for sight.

Memory trick

A squint is misaligned eyes; the child's brain suppresses one image, and if this lasts through visual development that eye becomes amblyopic (lazy); detect it with the light reflex and cover test; early detection saves sight.

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👁️ Special Senses🟢 BasicOcular Motility

Squint (Strabismus) and Amblyopia

Misalignment of the eyes and the lazy eye that can result when the brain suppresses the image from one eye in childhood.

Key points

A squint (strabismus) is a misalignment of the eyes, so that the two eyes do not point at the same object.
In children, the brain may suppress the image from the squinting eye to avoid seeing double.
If this continues during the years when sight is developing, that eye can become permanently weak-sighted, called amblyopia; amblyopia can also arise from a large refractive difference between the eyes or from visual deprivation.
Squints are detected by watching the reflection of a light on the eyes and by the cover test.
Because amblyopia is preventable if caught early, detecting a childhood squint promptly matters greatly for sight.

Memory trick

All of Ophthalmology More Special Senses