As mentioned above, this disorder is more commonly known as cross-eyed or wall-eyed, strabismus is a vision condition where both eyes do not align simultaneously under normal conditions.

One or both of the eyes may turn in, out, up or down – all of the time or intermittently. Whether constant or intermittent, strabismus always requires appropriate evaluation and treatment.

Children do not outgrow this eye condition.

Treatment of misaligned eyes may include patching of one eye (if amblyopia is present), glasses, or strabismus surgery to realign the eyes. It is important to know that strabismus surgery does not cure poor vision. 

In some cases, realignment of the eyes occurs with proper prescription eyeglasses. However, the majority of children with strabismus will eventually require surgery to better align the eyes.

Strabismus surgery commonly involves the recession of eye muscles if weakening of muscles is required, or the resection of eye muscles when strengthening of muscles is required.

Recession of an eye muscle requires disinsertion of one of the six muscles attached to the eye, and reattachment of the muscle further back on the eye, thereby causing the desired weakening.

Resection of an eye muscle requires disinsertion of the muscle from the eye, excising a portion of the distal end of the muscle, and subsequent reattachment to the eye, thereby resulting in a stronger muscle.

The amount that a muscle is recessed or resected is based on the pre-operative degree of misalignment of the eyes, which is measured by the ophthalmologist using prisms.

Once a child develops misaligned eyes, there is no treatment that will straighten the eyes perfectly. The goal of strabismus surgery, therefore, is to realign the eyes as close to normal as possible.