Laser vision correction and strabismus. Does laser correct strabismus?

Laser treatment of eye diseases and correction of refractive errors have been common practice for a long time. Laser vision correction works perfectly well in case of short-sightedness, astigmatism and far-sightedness. Does it prove equally effective in case of strabismus? Is it possible to treat this condition with the use of laser? 

Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes do not properly align with one another. It is usually accompanied by vision disorders in one or both eyes; therefore, it is often called a strabismus disease. Normally, our eyesight focuses on a given spot and then the images in our brain are connected, which enables us to see a three-dimensional image as a whole. This type of seeing is known as binocular and it is typical of most people. However, in people with strabismus such image synthesis is impossible as the visual axes misalignment resulting from an imbalance in the ocular muscles impedes the focusing process in the eyes, and in turn each eye sees its own different image. This is called monocular vision. The central nervous system automatically eliminates the redundant image, which may cause the unused eye to stop working at all.

Strabismus results from the lack of synchronisation in the work of the ocular muscles, which in turn leads to the deviation of one of the eyes inward or outward. The most typical causes are:

• lack of glasses or contact lenses with the development of high degree of far-sightedness, short-sightedness or astigmatism;
• stress, trauma, central nervous system disorders;
• improper development of the ocular muscles;
• sudden vision deterioration in one of the eyes.

Types of strabismus

1. Hidden strabismus is the imbalance of the ocular muscles.
2. Concomitant strabismus is the most common form of strabismus, in which the squinting eye follows in its movements the leading eye, while maintaining stable angle of deviation. This type of pathology stems from the development of binocular vision during the first years of life. Concomitant strabismus is also a cosmetic and functional problem and it renders spatial orientation and movement more difficult. A complication in this type of condition is amblyopia, also known as the lazy eye syndrome. The squinting eye effectively stops seeing and general visual acuity decreases.

Ways of strabismus correction and treatment:

• optical correction by wearing glasses or contact lenses;
• treatment of amblyopia („lazy” eye) only in children – aimed at making both eyes equally active;
• surgical procedure performed on the ocular muscles.

Strabismus is most often corrected by wearing glasses or contact lenses. The aim of the optical correction is to restore binocular vision, i.e. activate the less active eye.
Patients with strabismus often ask whether it is possible to restore normal binocular vision with the use of laser. The answer is that it depends on the causes of strabismus.

If strabismus is caused by a difference in the degree of refraction between the two eyes, a laser vision correction surgery (on one or both eyes) allows to equalize vision in both eyes, which results in their realignment. In other words, if glasses correction helps to realign the eyes, laser vision correction works in the same way.

If the cause of strabismus is different, however, laser may not be the right solution as the laser vision correction procedure reshapes the cornea but does not affect the ocular muscles. Sometimes the only solution is a surgery performed on the ocular musculature. If you are wondering whether there is a Chance of curing your strabismus through laser vision correction, make an appointment for a preliminary qualifying examination preceding the surgery and find out what the result of the procedure will be.

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