People who live with strabismus have a different perception of the world. For this reason, people who squint often have to wear glasses to reduce the distortion of their vision.
But can contact lenses help with squinting? And what is the squint that doctors talk about?
What happens if I have strabismus?
The human brain does a wonderful job by processing the images from the left and right eye together so you see one common image. However, if one eye is not aligned, the person will squint and therefore have a strabismus.
It is not uncommon for the person concerned to have limited spatial vision, which is then revealed from time to time, for example in ball sports or when driving a car.
Depending on the type of strabismus (concomitant strabismus, paralytic strabismus, latent strabismus, etc.), the causes may be different and surgical correction of the eye is sometimes possible.
In the case of latent strabismus (heterophoria), the strabismus is not permanent, but occurs under the influence of alcohol, for example. In the event of sudden strabismus or double vision, an ophthalmologist should always be consulted immediately.
Strabismus is a disorder in which the visual axes of the eyes diverge. In people with strabismus, the position of the two eyes is often not the same, giving the impression that the eyes are not looking in the same direction. Strabismus can be inherited (congenital) or acquired (if it develops later in life). It can be intermittent or constant and can be mild (slight misalignment of the eyes) or more severe (severe misalignment of the eyes).
You can treat your strabismus with glasses, surgery or eye training. The best treatment depends on your age, the severity of your strabismus and the underlying cause. Surgery is usually only used for people who do not respond to other forms of treatment.
There are 3 main signs that you have strabismus. Firstly, your eyes cannot look in the same direction. Second, your gaze appears to be crossed. Thirdly, your eyes squint inwards or outwards when you look at something. In each of these three cases, you may not even notice the disorder because you are only squinting slightly. This is why it is important to have your eyes checked from time to time.
Can lenses be used to treat strabismus?
People with strabismus often wear glasses from an early age.
Unfortunately, in the case of severe strabismus, contact lenses do not improve perception. This is because after each blink of the eyelid, the lens is positioned slightly differently than before, so that it does not adopt a fixed position.
But if you want to wear contact lenses for swimming, cycling, or other sports activities where glasses are rather uncomfortable, it is possible for a limited period.
To obtain the appropriate values for contact lenses, however, it is necessary to make an appointment in advance with an optician or ophthalmologist, as the values differ slightly from one pair of glasses to another (even for wearers who do not squint).
