Squint
Strabismus
Squint is a physical defect in which both eyes are not aligned together and do not point in the same direction. It is also called Strabismus. For a person suffering from this defect, if the eyes are in an inward direction, it is called a convergent squint, or if the eyes are outward direction, it is called a divergent squint. The Squint is called Comitant (or concomitant) if the amount of deviation of the squinting eye remains constant in all directions of gaze. For ‘noncomitant’ if the magnitude of misalignment varies with the direction of the gaze. In an adult, this defect can be corrected with the help of Squint Eye Exercise.
Squint is most often the result of some abnormality of the neuromuscular control of eye movement. The movement of the eyeballs depends upon the action of six muscles-four of which are straight and two slantings. If the nerves of these eye muscles have developed some defects, the eye can develop a Squint.
Long-sightedness in children often causes an inward squint. At the same time, short-sightedness may be responsible for upward squint. If one or more of these muscles of the eye are paralyzed, the noncomitant Squint occurs.
Treatment of Squint
Due to the advancement of medical sciences, there are now many treatments that can treat this condition. Treatments must be done at an early stage not only for cosmetic correction but also for your visual improvement. Wearing special dark glass is a part of a treatment covering the good eye to stop it from being used. By wearing those glasses, it prevents the bad eye from becoming more worse.
Squint Eye Exercise
Squint can also be treated with vision therapy. These vision therapies may be incorporated with Squint Eye Exercise, strengthening the eye muscles and improving the range of motion.
Pencil Pushups
Pencil Pushups or Pen Pushups is the most common Squint Eye Exercise. Optometrist calls it a near point of convergence exercise. They often recommend their patient for this exercise because it does not require any equipment, and it can be performed at home. To do this exercise, you need a pen or a pencil. Hold out a pencil at arm’s length from your face. Choose a focal point of the pencil ( it can be the tip of the pencil or the eraser at the end) and keep both eyes focused at that point. Slowly move the pencil closer to your nose without breaking the concentration. Keep in focus as long as you can but stop or move the pencil further away as soon as your vision gets blurry. Do this exercise several times a day.
Brock String
Brock String exercise is another simple exercise that helps improve your eye coordination. To do this exercise, you need a string having a length upto 5 feet long and three beads of different colors that can be moved to various positions along the string’s length. Arrange the beads by spacing them at equal distances. Affix one end of the string to the wall or doorknob and hold the other end of the string to your nose. Look at each bead by focusing on the bead closest to your nose until you see it as a single object at the X where the strings meet. Shift your focus to the next bead and repeat the same.
Barrel Cards
Barrel card exercise helps to train the eye to turn in or converge more efficiently. To do this exercise, you need a Barrel card. This card has three circles in progressive sizes. One side of the card is green, and the other side is red. Hold the card up against your nose in a position so that the largest circle is farthest away and aligned horizontally. If eyes are closed alternatively, one eye would see red circles, and another eye would see green circles. Alternately close each eye and judge the amount of the card seen; both eye individually should see the same amount of the card. First, you should focus both of your eyes on the circles positioned furthest away. The two images should overlap, producing a red-green circle. After holding the largest circle steady for five seconds, the gaze should be altered to the middle circle, now concentrating on making the middle circle overlap to become one clear image. Then repeat the same with the smallest barrel images.
Computer Therapy
For quick and easy exercise, many computer-based eye exercise programs are used to help improve your eye’s muscle movement. The program uses virtual reality and video games to correct this condition.
Squint Eye Exercise can treat some types of Squint, specially intermittent squints in adults. An operation is necessary to strengthen a weak eye muscle or weaken an extra-strong one in some cases. The good eye is covered for some period before the correctional surgery. This is to enable the patient to use the previously used eye and build up its vision.