Strabismus

One of the more common symptoms amongst children with RS is strabismus.

According to the NIH strabismus is:

A disorder in which the two eyes do not line up in the same direction, and therefore do not look at the same object at the same time. The condition is more commonly known as "crossed eyes."

The causes, incidence, and risk factors

Six different muscles surround the eyes and work "as a team" so that both eyes can focus on the same object.

In someone with strabismus, these muscles do not work together. As a result, one eye looks at one object, while the other eye turns in a different direction and is focused on another object.

When this occurs, two different images are sent to the brain -- one from each eye. This confuses the brain, and the brain may learn to ignore the image from the weaker eye.

If the strabismus is not treated, the eye that the brain ignores will never see well. This loss of vision is called amblyopia. Another name for amblyopia is "lazy eye." Sometimes amblyopia is present first, and it causes strabismus.

In most children with strabismus, the cause is unknown. In more than half of these cases, the problem is present at or shortly after birth (congenital strabismus).

Other disorders associated with strabismus include:

- Brain and nerve disorders, such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, cerebral palsy, or Guillain-Barre syndrome
- Diabetes (causes a condition known as acquired paralytic strabismus)
- Damage to the retina in children who are born premature
- Hemangioma near the eye during infancy
- Injuries to the eye
- Tumor in the brain or eye
- Vision loss from any eye disease or injury

~http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001999/

Abby had a more severe case of strabismus. Both of her eye turned completely inward. We sought out the best doctor we could find (at CHOP of course :D) and made an appointment. We had no idea what to expect. Glasses? Surgery? Patching? Drops?



Because of the severity the doctor decided that we would put her in glasses immediately and then they would perform double eye muscle surgery a couple of months later. We didn't love the idea of surgery but the doctor was very sure that patching and drops wouldn't correct the high level or turning.

We got her glasses within a week






Then we scheduled her surgery.








You can see there and in recent pictures how amazing her eyes look. Therapists and doctors still notice that her left eye pulls in but most people would never even know.