Cockeye, Definition, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Complications, Prevention

Cockeye, Definition, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Complications, Prevention; Cockeye is a condition when the position of the two eyes is not parallel and looks at a different direction. Cockeye or in medical terms known as strabismus occurs due to a disruption in the coordination of the eye's driving muscles. In this condition, one eye may look forward, while the other eye may look up, down, or side, so that both eyes cannot focus to see the same object.

Cause of Cockeye
The cause of this impaired coordination of the eyeball muscles is not always known. Some sufferers have Cockeye from birth, while some other sufferers occur as adults. Sometimes, Cockeye sufferers also have other family members who experience Cockeye. In children, Cockeye can be triggered by eyes that work too hard to overcome vision problems, such as:

Nearsighted
Farsighted
Astigmatism

Other Cockeye triggers in children, but rarely occur, including:

Paralyzed brain
Some infections, such as measles
Some genetic conditions or syndromes, such as Down syndrome
Diabetes
Retinoblastoma eye cancer

Unlike the children, the causes of Cockeye that occur during adulthood include:

Botulism
Injury to the eye
Head injury
Stroke
Guillain-Barre syndrome
Grave's disease
Diabetes

Cockeye Symptoms
The following are symptoms that can be experienced by Cockeye sufferers, namely:

Eyes look out of alignment.
The eyes do not move simultaneously.
Tilt your head when you see something.
Often blinks or squints, especially in the sun.
The tension in the eyes.
Headache.
Blurred vision.
Decrease perception or estimate of distance.
Double vision.

Double vision complaints are usually present in Cockeye sufferers who occur as adults. When the eye does not look at the same point, it should cause double vision. However, this does not happen to Cockeye patients who are still children. Two images sent by the eye to the children's brain will be ignored by the brain and the brain will choose an image from one eye, usually from a healthy eye. This is dangerous because it can lead to the ability of one eye to go down, which is called the lazy eye (amblyopia). However, the opposite can also happen, where the lazy eye actually results in Cockeye.

Cockeye diagnosis
Early diagnosis and treatment of Cockeye are very important, especially in children, to prevent vision loss. Immediately consult an eye doctor if you or your child experience symptoms of Cockeye. The doctor will carry out a series of eye examinations, including:

Test the corneal light reflex.
Retinal test to check the condition of the back of the eye.
Examination of eye vision to determine visual acuity.
The eye test is closed and open to measure movement and abnormalities in the eye.

If Cockeye is also accompanied by other symptoms, the doctor will examine the brain and nervous system to check for other possible conditions. A new baby can have Cockeye, but if Cockeye's condition persists after the baby is 3 months and above, immediately consult a doctor.

Cockeye Treatment
The type of treatment for Cockeye is adjusted for the cause and severity suffered. Some types of treatment that might be done include:

Blindfold. If there is a lazy eye, the doctor will advise the patient to use an eye patch to cover the healthy eye. This is done to encourage the weaker driving muscles to work harder.
Eyeglasses. Glasses help treat Cockeye caused by vision problems in the eyes, such as nearsightedness.
Eye drops. Eye drops are given to temporarily obfuscate stronger eyesight so that both eyes have the same focus.
Eye exercises. Treatment is done by giving specific exercises to the muscles that control eye movements.
Botox injections into healthy eye muscles. Injection is done to weaken the stronger eye muscles so that the eye muscles are weak. However, the effect of botox usually only lasts less than 3 months.
Operation. The surgical procedure is performed to tighten or loosen the muscles that control eye movements. Sometimes, additional surgery is needed to fully align the eyes.

Complications of Cockeye
If you don't get immediate treatment, Cockeye can cause lazy eyes and blurred vision. This blurred vision occurs when Cockeye is not treated until the age of 11 years. When already treated, some children can return to having Cockeye and lazy eyes, so they must always be monitored.

Cockeye prevention
Cockeye is generally not preventable. However, the prevention of complications of Cockeye can be done with early detection and appropriate treatment. Newborns must also be monitored for eye health.