Years ago when my vision on my lazy eye was very poor, I went to a medical exam to get my driver's license, and of course the vision exam was included. At the end of the medical exam the doctor diagnosed me as "monovision", that is, a person who depends on monocular cues, and yet he told me that I could get my license. That experience made me think about a question that perhaps anyone who suffers from strabismus and lazy eye has ever asked themselves: is strabismus considered a disability?
Strabismus, commonly known as "crossed eyes" or "squint," is a condition where the eyes do not properly align with each other. This misalignment can lead to various issues, including vision loss as it happens with amblyopia, reduced binocular vision, and psychosocial challenges.
Understanding Strabismus
After making my own investigation I realize that Strabismus is classified as a medical condition with its own ICD-10 code (H50-H51). So, NO! It is not typically considered a disability unless it significantly affects daily life. Even in those severe cases of strabismus leading to vision loss, the human brain adapts to judge the world through monocular cues. It seems that real problem that might cause strabismus to be a disability is when there's significant double vision (diplopia).
Issues Caused by Strabismus
- Vision Loss: Untreated strabismus can lead to amblyopia (lazy eye), causing vision loss in the affected eye.
- Reduced Binocular Vision: People with strabismus often have difficulty seeing in three dimensions, affecting their ability to judge distance, speed, and height.
- Psychosocial Issues: Strabismus can impact psychosocial development and employment, leading to confidence issues and social challenges.
- Appearance Concerns: The appearance of misaligned eyes can drastically affect self-esteem and confidence.
Treatment Options for Strabismus
Several treatments are available for strabismus, depending on the severity and underlying cause. These include:
- Vision Therapy: Exercises designed to improve eye coordination and alignment.
- Strabismus Surgery: Surgical correction to align the eyes.
- Atropine Drops: Medication to temporarily paralyze the stronger eye, encouraging the weaker eye to work harder.
- Botox Injections: Used to temporarily weaken eye muscles to improve alignment.
- Corrective Lenses: Glasses or contact lenses to correct refractive errors.
Eventhough it’s not a disability, we should work to overcome it
Promising New Treatments
Recent advancements in vision therapy, such as the Equal-Eyes VR vision therapy program, offer innovative approaches to treating strabismus and lazy eye in adults, denying the critical period and showing that is never too late to treat lazy eye. This program utilizes virtual reality technology to provide engaging and effective vision therapy exercises that can be done at home.
If you happen to suffer from strabismus or you have a family member or an acquaintance with squint, it is vital to understand the underlying cause of the strabismus in order to design the treatment plan that best suit the case. But no matter the cause of the strabismus, the strabismic person usually present symptoms of binocular dysfunction and because of this it is possible to benefit from vision therapy to really solve the problem and start using both of your eyes and having stereopsis. At AvalonWeb.com.au, we are proud to offer Equal-Eyes, our innovative and affordable VR vision therapy for adult lazy eye and binocular vision dysfunctions. This program, created and developed by an electronic, electrical, and software engineer, Mr. Mark Boyce, a person who understands first-hand what it is to have these 2 conditions, provides an engaging platform for patients to improve their visual skills and overcome challenges associated with strabismus.
Conclusion
While strabismus may not typically be classified as a disability, it can significantly impact daily life, especially when associated with vision loss, reduced binocular vision, and psychosocial challenges. Advances in treatment options, including innovative approaches like the Equal-Eyes VR vision therapy program, offer hope for effective management and improvement. Understanding the underlying causes and pursuing appropriate treatments can help individuals with strabismus lead fuller, more confident lives. At AvalonWeb.com.au, we're committed to providing accessible and cutting-edge solutions to help you overcome the challenges of strabismus and achieve better visual health.
Thank you for reading, and remember: strabismus doesn't define you, and most importantly there's hope for a new journey to clearer vision and greater self-assurance.
FAQs
In principle Yes, but according to a US study on Intelligence Quotient in patients with congenital strabismus, patients with this condition had lower mean IQ scores than the normal population which may be due to genetic background or acquired causes secondary to strabismus.
Long term and untreated strabismus leads to vision loss, i.e. amblyopia.
Taking in consideration that Visual impairment refers to any type of vision loss, from mild to total blindness, that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, medication, or surgery, Strabismus is considered a visual impairment when it leads to amblyopia and affects binocular vision.
Yes, glasses can fix strabismus, but only when the underlaying cause of the strabismus is represented by refractive errors.