Contents
Strabismus often occurs in children, but it is also possible in adults, against the background of severe myopia or hyperopia. The question arises – is it permissible to wear contact lenses with strabismus, can they help in correcting vision?
Strabismus can be identified by external signs. The center of the pupil is located not symmetrically to the midline, deviated to the inner or outer corner of the eye, raised up or down. Strabismus is caused by a defect in the muscles that control the movement of the eyeball. By origin, strabismus can be congenital, due to unfavorable heredity or abnormalities during pregnancy. In adulthood, this often happens as a consequence of injuries, damage to the brain and nervous system, severe infections, and a significant deterioration in vision in one eye.
People perceive the picture with both eyes at once, in the cerebral cortex the pictures from both eyes are synchronized, which gives a single image with depth and volume. If one of the eyes gives the wrong picture, double vision begins. In order to prevent double vision, the brain turns off the input from the affected eye, in a similar condition, amblyopia (or the state of lazy eye) occurs. Visual acuity in the squinting eye is reduced, and the question arises whether lenses can be worn to improve vision.
Is it possible to wear lenses with strabismus
The first thing to immediately emphasize is that along with glasses, the use of contact lenses does not help cure strabismus. These options only improve vision by correcting refractive errors. Therefore, in order to eliminate the pathology itself, lenses are not used.
If the patient has no contraindications to the use of lenses, he can use them in order to correct myopia or hypermetropia. But it is also important to take into account the fact that the lenses must be worn over the cornea, and due to the fact that the eye is deviated from the axis, the lenses can come into contact with the eyelids, tear fluid, which leads to discomfort when wearing them. It is important to select correction tools only with a doctor, taking into account mobility, lens centering and other indicators. In addition, if the strabismus progresses, lenses can only be used if the angle of deviation of the eye is not higher than 15°. If the eye is more deviated, lenses are prohibited.
Which lenses are best for strabismus?
Ordinary contact lenses that correct refractive errors are rarely used in the treatment of strabismus. Prismatic Fresnel lenses are usually recommended (these are not contact lenses). They are used with glasses.
Adults with severe myopia (greater than 6 diopters) or hyperopia may develop strabismus (concomitant, that is, in both eyes) due to refractive problems. This mainly occurs in those who do not carry out a full-fledged optical correction. Therefore, contact lenses can be recommended as a prophylactic against accommodative strabismus. The eye begins to squint due to the fact that the eyes are trying to focus on objects, and the muscles pull the eyeballs to the sides when overstressed.
If it is farsightedness, the muscles that reduce the eyes to the bridge of the nose are pulled, with myopia, those that spread the eyes to the temples are more active. Properly selected lenses allow you to normalize the work of the oculomotor muscles and normalize their tone.
What is the difference between strabismus lenses and regular lenses?
For strabismus, standard lenses are used, choosing them according to the needs of the patient. They can be either plus, if it develops with farsightedness, or minus (with severe myopia). Toric types of lenses can also be used if different forms of astigmatism are identified.
Reviews of doctors about lenses for strabismus
– We use lenses to correct optical problems with the eyes, as often strabismus is accompanied by various refractive errors of the eye (nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism), – says ophthalmologist Maxim Kolomeytsev. – For strabismus, standard contact lenses are used. The best variant of contact lenses is selected individually in each case, depending on the type of lens (spherical, toric) and the mode of wearing the lens (daily, scheduled replacement and extended wear).
Popular questions and answers
We talked with ophthalmologist Maxim Kolomeytsev about whether lenses can be used for strabismus, will they help in treatment, and to whom are they prohibited?