Squint, medically known as strabismus, is a condition in which the eyes do not align or focus together in the same direction. It can affect children and adults and may cause an eye to turn inward, outward, upward, or downward. Some people may also experience double vision, eye strain, difficulty with depth perception, or reduced vision in one eye. Early evaluation by an ophthalmologist can help identify the type and cause of eye misalignment and determine an appropriate treatment plan.
Diagnosis and Treatment Options
A comprehensive eye examination may assess vision, eye movements, alignment, focusing ability, and the need for corrective lenses. Depending on the patient's age, symptoms, and type of strabismus, squint treatment may include prescription glasses, prism glasses, patching when amblyopia is present, selected eye exercises, or strabismus surgery. In some cases, botulinum toxin may also be considered. Treatment is individualized rather than based on a single approach.
Benefits of Treatment
Appropriate treatment can help improve eye alignment, support binocular vision, reduce double vision, and address associated problems such as amblyopia. For children, timely management can be particularly important because untreated misalignment may interfere with normal visual development. Adults may also benefit when strabismus affects daily activities, comfort, confidence, or quality of life.
What to Expect
Your ophthalmologist will recommend treatment based on the examination findings and underlying cause. If surgery is advised, it involves adjusting the eye muscles to improve alignment and is performed as an outpatient procedure, although recovery varies.