Exotropia


A form of strabism where eyes are misaligned.  One eye deviates outwards whilst the other eye looks normally.  It usually occurs in childhood, between the age of 2 and 4 and may be hereditary.  Exotropia leads to a loss of dept perception and binocular vision because the brain requires images from both eyes to be able to see three-dimensionally. 

The eye is controlled by six muscles and if these do not work inline with each other, starbism can occur.  The most common symptom is an outward deviation of the eye, which may occur when tired, ill or daydreaming.  A child with exotropia may rub his/her eyes, close the eye and the eye may deviate when looking at distant objects.  Exotropia tends to increase in frequency and duration overtime and can eventually lead to the loss of binocular vision if the eye becomes completely turned out.   In children, amblyopia may occur which leads to a loss of depth perception and adults may develop double vision because the brain is used to receiving mages from both eyes and cannot switch one off, as it were in amblyopia. 

Exotropia can be diagnosed in an eye test involving an assessment of eye movement and internal ocular structures.  Surgery may be required to treat this condition, particularly if eye patches have not worked and a child with exotropia has gone beyond the age where amblyopia can be prevented.  Eye muscle surgery may be combined with eye patching and/or eyeglass therapy so that vision in the weak eye is maximised.  The surgical procedure involves making a small incision in the tissue covering the eye and then repositioning the eye muscles so that all the muscles are working properly.  A general anaesthetic is usually administered and recovery takes a few days. 

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