Strabismus Treatment

Ophthalmologists at Herzliya Medical Center carry out treatment of strabismus in Israel. Specialists incorporate the latest developments in the field of Ophthalmologic microsurgery in order to conduct successful surgeries and efficiently correct strabismus in adults and children.

What is Strabismus?

Strabismus is a visual condition in which the optic axis of the eyeballs move and do not uniformly focus on the object of observation, i.e. the eyes are not in alignment. Synchronization of the eyes and maintenance of the eyes remaining parallel, or on the same visual axes, requires a complex neuro-muscular process. Any damage to this delicate system may lead to strabismus development.

In addition to the cosmetic manifestation of unsynchronized focus, strabismus often leads to the development of a number of functional disorders. Among them are reduced depth perception (ability to accurately determine distance from and between objects, including that of three-dimensional shapes), as well as the gradual reduction of visual acuity due to prolonged inactivity and amblyopia (“lazy- eye” syndrome). Similarly, strabismus often develops when severe farsightedness goes untreated.

Strabismus has several root causes, most commonly related to genetic predisposition, congenital malformation, development of certain diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems, or the result of trauma or infection.

Types of Strabismus

Two of the most common forms of strabismus are observed as horizontal displacement of the visual axis or horizontal strabismus:

• Esotropia (crossed eyes) – one or both eyes focus inward
• Exotropia (wall-eyed) – eyes focus outwards

Additional forms of strabismus are directed on the vertical axis, vertical strabismus (hypertropia – up, hypotropia down), but occurs much less frequently. Furthermore, the isolated paralytic disease is characterized by limitation in eyeball mobility, and concomitant strabismus in which the amplitude of eye movement is unimpaired. Depending on the functional capacity of the eyeball movement, determining monocular strabismus is possible, a condition in which the patient does not use the strabismus affected eye, or a form of alternating strabismus may be observed, a condition in which eyes are used alternately and lack synchrony.

Strabismus Diagnosis

Strabismus diagnosis in Israel is attained from a comprehensive screening of the patient, as well as careful consideration of a patient’s medical and family medical history. The primary diagnostic activities to determine strabismus includes verification and examination, performed by an ophthalmologist to evaluate:

• Visual acuity
• Refractive power of the lens
• Angles and axis-deviation of the eyes
• Additionally, a neurologist performs an evaluation of the patient’s nerve damage and neuromuscular connectivity

At Herzliya Medical Center in Israel, patients undergo all necessary screening in order for doctors to determine the exact cause of the disease with precision and create the most effective plan for individualized strabismus treatment in Israel.

Strabismus Treatment

Modern methods for strabismus Treatment for children and adults include:

• Specialized exercises – designed to train the muscles of the eyeball. Performing these exercises on a regular basis can significantly reduce the progressive deviation of the eyes from the normal axis. However, adherence to the exercises does not always guarantee a long-lasting effect.
• Computer programs – utilized as corrective treatment for the training of the eye
• Special glasses and lenses – used for optical correction of strabismus. This method is particularly effective when the disease was developed as a result of the uncompensated refractive power of the lens
• Surgical procedure – treatment to correct strabismus performed on both children and adults to help rid patients of the cosmetic defect of strabismus and maintain a functional capacity of eye movement

In order to select the most effective treatment, experts consider the type of strabismus that has been diagnosed and the degree of severity, as well as influential factors such as the age of the patient, impairment of visual function and the patient’s preferences.

Ophthalmologists provide patients with information detailing the advantages of each treatment technique available, in order for each patient to make an informed decision on which treatment option will be most effective.

Strabismus Treatment for children should begin at an early age, in the best circumstances, before the damage of the disease fully manifests. Contrary to popular belief, Congenital strabismus does not resolve on its own and going without treatment may yield secondary changes in visual ability and may lead to severe psychological trauma.

For adults, corrective treatment of strabismus most often allows the patient to gain vocational rehabilitation. Surgical treatment for strabismus is recommended when there has been no effect from conservative therapy. Strabismus treatment aims to achieve a balance between deficient muscles involved in the movement of the eyeball and healthy muscles to correct the axis of eye movement.

At Herzliya Medical Center in Israel, a diverse variety of microsurgical procedures are offered to patients for strabismus treatment, achieving excellent results and success at restoring the ability for patients to gain normal (binocular) vision. After corrective procedures for strabismus have been performed in adults and children, Ophthalmologists at Herzliya Medical Center issue further guidance to aid the rapid recovery of visual function.