Squint is the common name for ‘strabismus’ which is the medical term used to describe eyes that are not pointing in the same direction. A squint can be convergent (esotropia), divergent (exotropia) or vertical.
Symptoms of adult squint problems include fatigue, double vision, difficulty with near vision and loss of stereo vision. To compensate for this, some individuals will adopt an abnormal head position. Many adults with squint are concerned about the appearance of their eyes and the impact this has on social relationships and work
Most often, one eye turns inwards (convergent squint) or outwards (divergent squint). Less often, it may turn up or down (vertical squint). There are different terms for how often the squint is present. If they are there at all times they are termed constant, or if they are only apparent at certain times they are know as intermittent.
Some babies are born with a squint (known as a congenital or infantile squint) and some children develop a squint later (known as an acquired squint). Acquired squints may be caused by the eye attempting to overcome a vision problem, such as short sightedness or long sightedness and genetic factors play a part in many squints, but in many cases the cause is unknown. Rarely, a squint may be caused by a condition in the eye itself.
You can self-fund or use private medical insurance to fund your treatment.