Children’s Vision

Strabismus (Wandering Eye)

Strabismus is an eye muscle imbalance that typically starts in infancy or early childhood. It is the inability of using both eyes together. One eye may wander in or out or up and down. One eye may wander all the time or only when your child is tired, ill, or looking at nearby objects. In infancy, eyes normally wander but if one eye shows signs of wandering past the age of 2 ot 3 months, your child should be seen by a Pediatric Ophthalmologist. With early proper medical attention, strabismus can be corrected. Unusual behavior can sometimes be a sign of an eye problem.

Watch your child for warning signs:

• Squinting to see objects at a distance
• Holding objects close to their face
• Blinking or rubbing eyes consistently
• Closing one eye to see objects

Listen to your child for the mention of these problems:

• Having problems seeing the chalkboard at school
• Complaints about things looking blurry or funny
• Eyes being sensitive to light
• Pain in or around eyes or eyes that itch or burn

Pay attention to your child's eyes and behavior. Have your child's eyes examined regularly by our Pediatric Ophthalmologist at the Texas Eye Institute. Correcting vision problems early in life is the best way to protect the precious gift of sight.