Pediatric Strabismus
Strabismus, or a misalignment of the eyes, is when one eye deviates from central gaze. It can happen all of the time or intermittently. It may affect only one eye or may switch between both eyes. Untreated, it can result in a loss of vision (amblyopia) and/or a loss of depth perception, or stereopsis.
Treatment includes patching, glasses, eye exercises, and sometimes surgery. Strabismus can be hereditary, but may occur in an eye that is not seeing well for other reasons. It can be caused by trauma or problems going on in the brain. Thus strabismus can sometimes be a sign of a more serious problem and should always be evaluated, especially if it has occurred suddenly.
Unlike in adults, strabismus rarely causes double vision (diplopia) in a child. Thus a child who is suddenly mentioning that they are seeing double should be evaluated fairly urgently by their personal physician and/or an eye care professional.