The causes of strabismus in children

Each mother zealously monitors the health of the newborn baby. His eyes, perhaps, are given the most close supervision. However, without certain knowledge, not every parent can determine the onset of such a pathological condition as strabismus in children. But it is the onset of the disease - the most favorable period for successful treatment.

Definition of disease

A strabismus is a condition where the position of the eyes is disturbed relative to the central visual axis of the glance.Such a violation can be of a different nature and be:

• Congenital or acquired;
• Constant or periodic;
• Unilateral or intermittent;
• Convergent, divergent, vertical, mixed.

  Types of strabismus

A friendly strabismus is called pathology, when the axis deviates, then one eye, then another.It is this type of pathology that is characteristic of small children, since in the first years of life a binocular vision is formed.

With paralytic strabismus, one eye always mows, which is due to the fixation of its position due to the lack of motor function of the eye muscles.Most often, there is a split image.

Causes

The development of a pathological condition in children can have an innate or acquired character.The greatest risk of such a visual impairment occurs in children between the ages of up to 4 years, when they continue the formation of visual structures, as well as the completion of the design of such a visual function as stereoscopic vision.

Since the load during this period is significantly increased, any provoking factor can act as a cause of the development of pathology. It can be:

• Hypoxia during childbirth;
• Prematurity and weight at birth below 2 kg;
• Nervous or muscular diseases;
• Congenital eye diseases;
• The presence of serious abnormalities in visual acuity (hyperopia, nearsightedness);
• Neoplasms in the eyeball or neural tissue;
• Presence of cataract;
• Traumatic injuries;
• Serious infectious lesions;
• Diseases of a systemic nature.

For the timely determination of the onset of pathology, it is recommended to conduct preventive examinations with an ophthalmologist before the child reaches 6 years of age: at 2, 6, 12 months and then every year.

Symptoms

With different types of pathology (friendly or paralytic), its manifestations may differ.

With a friendly:

• Both eyes alternately deviate from the visual axis;
• There is a decrease in the quality of visual perception.

When paralytic:

• One eye does not move fully or partially;
• With one closed eye, the head begins to spin;
• Doubling (typical for adolescence);
• The impossibility of assessing the location of the object;
• There is a deviation of the healthy eye when fixing the mowing on a certain thing;
• Extended pupil and eyelid drooping - with damage to the optic nerve.

Little children who can not talk about their problems, in an attempt to restore synchronicity of perception, tilt their head, screw up their eyes or turn their heads.

Elementary test, which can be conducted by each parent in case of doubt: the child is closed with one palm, and ask to look at a certain point on my mother's or father's face (for example, nose).Carefully follow the position of the open eye and sharply withdraw the palm. If the pupil in the open eye is immobile - the child does not have any problems. But when it moves, it is worth an emergency examination from an ophthalmologist. Exactly so check and the second eye.

Possible complications

With the development of pathology due to hereditary factors, a prolonged course of pathology is possible, so the risk of serious complications increases:

• Amblyopia- Sharp decrease in visual acuity in the eye that mows. Deviation occurs in 65% of patients with strabismus in children and is caused by an attempt of the nervous system to avoid the appearance of double vision in the eyes. Thus, the eye, not participating in visual perception, gradually loses its functional capabilities, which leads to a decrease in visual abilities;
• An anomaly of correspondence of the retina(ACS). With the normal functioning of the eye, the image in the brain comes out when displayed on the yellow spots of both eyes. When the anomaly develops, such a connection is broken, and fixation on objects is achieved by means of the connection "yellow spot of one eye - the periphery of the retina of the mowing eye". ACS is more common in case of alternating strabismus, less often with unilateral strabismus. Complication is very difficult to treat.

  Amblyopia in children

Some parents believe that the treatment of strabismus is not necessary or impossible, but this is fundamentally the wrong opinion.

Many types of pathology succumb to a successful, albeit slow, conservative cure.In addition, there are effective surgical techniques. And about the optional treatment - in addition to possible complications and the likelihood of reducing vision, strabismus may affect the child's mental abilities, as it significantly disturbs the correct visual perception of the situation.

Treatment

Before choosing the optimal treatment tactics, the doctor conducts a series of examinations to clarify the diagnosis and determine the degree of lesions.Both conventional and specialized research methods can be used.

If there is a suspicion of paralytic strabismus, then an additional consultation is given to the neurologist.With the confirmation of the diagnosis, the following examinations can be performed: electroneurography, EEG, electromyography, evoked potentials.

Medication Therapy

Conservative methods can be effective when used for a long time - at least 2-3 years. Sometimes such treatment can last up to 18 years, when almost all functional changes in the body, associated with growth and maturation, are finally completed.

To correct the pathological condition, the following techniques can be used:

• Diplomacy- special exercises that are held necessarily in glasses and in duration should be at least 2 hours a day. The child should not be capricious during classes, so they are divided into several sessions for 20 minutes. ;
• Optical vision correction- wearing special glasses in the presence of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism. As soon as vision is corrected, the strabismus disappears. This method is possible already from 8-12 months. ;
• Pleoptics- a method of treating amblyopia (lazy eye syndrome). The reception consists in turning off the healthy eye from the process of vision. To do this, close it with a bandage or glue one glass in glasses. Thus, a forced inclusion in the visual act of a mowing eye is achieved. If both eyes are mowed, then this is done alternately, while the eye more mowing is closed for a longer period;
• Hardware treatment: amblycopor, synoptophor, amblyopanorama, Fresnel lenses, program-computer treatment, Trickle apparatus, helium-neon laser. The necessary procedures are conducted for 5-10 sessions and are selected individually. Usually, this treatment is well tolerated even by the smallest patients.

Surgically

In the absence of visible effect from conservative methods of treatment for 1 the doctor can recommend a surgical operation.With paralytic strabismus, in most cases this method is the only one for successful treatment.

The operation can take place in two directions:

• Weakening of muscle regulation, achieved by muscle transplantation or the intersection of the tendon;
• Strengthening the action of muscle, to which its resection (shortening) results.

The success of surgical intervention is 90-95%, but even after the operation pay attention to orthoptic and diplomatic methods of treatment in order to get rid of residual phenomena.

Folk remedies

With long-term treatment (and it in most cases is quite extensive), you can use proven folk techniques and tools that help in eliminating the causes of strabismus:

• To strengthen the eye muscles give the childfor 4 small slices of bitter chocolate an hour after meals in the morning and at lunch.The course of treatment is 30 days. Chocolate should be without additives and not porous, the content of grated cocoa - 60%, sugar - no more than 40%;
• Broth from the dog rose(100 grams per 1 liter) insist 5 hours, after which they give the child a glass of water before eating, adding a little honey to it;
• Make drops of apple juice, fresh May honey and onion juice(3: 3: 1). Bury 1 drop per night for 10 days;
• To restore the eye musclemake a decoction of the leaves of black currant, which is used instead of tea;
• Decoction of pine needles(100 grams per liter of water) are cooked in a water bath and thoroughly insisted, after which they give the child 1 tbsp. l. after meal.

The effect of most of these funds is aimed at restoring metabolic processes and improving the performance of all eye structures. Therefore, long-term regular use is recommended.

However, in each specific case it is necessary to get a qualified medical consultation, Since many plant components are allergic, and it's about health child.

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Prevention

Preventive measures against children are divided according to the age group:

• Up to 2 years:it is recommended to hang toys on the sides of the baby's head, or slightly ahead, but in no case overhead or behind it. Similarly, stand: only on the sides of the silt before the baby;
• 2 to 4 years: strong visual loads, especially during illnesses, should be avoided;
• Older than 5 years: it is necessary to monitor the degree of eye strain when reading and writing.

However, the main measure is, undoubtedly, preventive examination from an ophthalmologist.

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conclusions

Strabismus in childhood can be temporary and disappear without a trace even without medical intervention. However, this is not an excuse for ignoring it, since serious complications are possible. Early diagnosis and treatment of pathology can save you from many problems, and your child from physical and psychological discomfort.

Also read about such diseases as presbyopia or age-long-sightedness, and how to cure strabismus or strabism in adults.