Children and adults alike may have a condition commonly referred to as crossed eyes, a condition doctors call strabismus. For some people with strabismus, prescription glasses may help correct crossed eyes. Others may need special exercises or surgery to align the muscles that control eye movement. Knowing the symptoms of crossed eyes may help people recognize the changes in their eyes and seek evaluation, or help a parents discuss the condition with their pediatrician.
Appearance
The most apparent symptom of crossed eyes is the appearance of the eyes. One eye will point straight ahead, but the other eye may point up, down, in or out. For some people with strabismus, the eyes stay crossed constantly, but for some, the eyes cross during times of stress or eye strain. As well, the abnormal eye movement may change from eye to eye. For example, at a certain time, one eye will look straight ahead with the other eye crossed, then, at another time, the previously crossed eye will look straight while the other moves away, says the American Optometric Association. Some people may only have a mild turning of one eye, while other people may experience significantly noticeable abnormal eye movement.
Vision
Since both eyes do not point in the same direction, strabismus causes difficulty with depth perception. As well, with the eyes focused on different points, some people with crossed eyes experience double vision, says Langone Medical Center at New York University. This may require a special lens, called a prism, to help bring the two images together. However, if the strabismus does not resolve and the prisms do not work, the person will typically require muscle surgery to realign the eyes.
If a small child has one turned eye, that eye may weaken, resulting in permanently blurry vision. An eye doctor may recommend patching the unturned eye to encourage the weaker eye to focus. This takes diligence from parents, since patching will often take considerable effort and time.
Head Movement
People with strabismus may move their heads frequently. For example, a parent may notice a child tilt her head from side to side in order to focus on an object. An adult, perhaps without awareness, may move his head at varying angles, trying to find an angle that will bring an image into focus for both eyes, says Eye Care America, a foundation of the American Academy of Opthalmology.
