ADULT STRABISMUS
Strabismus is a condition in which each eye appears to look in a different direction. It is commonly termed, ‘lazy eyes’, misaligned eyes, wandering eyes, or crossed eyes. One eye may look straight ahead and the other eye turns inward, outward, upward or downward. Dr. Wasserman examines and treats strabismus in both children and adults.Many adults have simply never had the condition treated as a child, while in others the condition may have worsened into adulthood. Some adults have had strabismus surgery as a child, but the eyes began to drift again years later. Sadly, many people think that strabismus cannot be treated as an adult, but that is absolutely false. Amazingly, they may have been told that the misalignment is only cosmetic and will not be paid for by insurance carriers. That too, is simply not true. Eye muscle surgery is almost always covered by medical insurance and has nothing to do with a “vision plan.” Eye muscle surgery is not painful and does not require a lot of time away from work. Most patients have minimal discomfort and are back to work in a couple of days.
Surgery to balance the eye muscles is sometimes the best treatment. During strabismus surgery Dr. Wasserman straightens the eyes to make them work together (binocularly). Patients sleep through the surgery and go home the same day. Strabismus surgery does not involve cutting of the skin, and therefore leaves no scars on the skin afterward. Dr. Wasserman repositions the eye muscles on the sides of the eye depending on which direction the eye is misaligned. Sutures are generally dissolvable, and patients go home with eyes open, without need for eye patches. Recovery is usually rapid with most patients resuming their normal activities in just a few days.
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