It is very unpleasant and shocking to realize that your own child is among the people who suffer from a pathological defect - strabismus. Many doctors who are treated with such a problem are immediately advised to go under the knife. Of course, both a small child and an adult are uncomfortable with such a thought. What if not to go to extremes, but to show a little patience and try to fix the situation without surgery?
Features
As you know, every person sees the world around him thanks to binocular vision. Both pictures that fall on the two eyes of a person, provided that he does not suffer from strabismus (strabismus), in fact, are the same. Nerve endings transmit them to the brain, where they are combined into a three-dimensional image - a three-dimensional picture of what we see around.
It is believed that with strabismus a person sees the image as flat, so sometimes he cannot determine the shape of an object. If you do not try to return the normal position of the eyes, then vision may drop dramatically.
Why does strabismus appear
A person has 6 muscles in each eye (12 in total). It happens (and more often than it is usually noticed) that muscles develop in different ways, that is, some are well strengthened, while others do not develop and weaken. As a result, the eyeball cannot get into the correct position due to strong muscles that pull it to their side (whether it be longitudinal, transverse or other muscles). Weakening or excessive tension of the muscles of the eye can be caused, for example, by fright or a stressful situation. Strabismus is often hereditary.
It is considered normal when a baby's eyes "run" and periodically mow before six months. This is due to the fact that the eye muscles are not yet developed enough to keep the eyeball in the correct position. You need to start worrying if six months after birth, the strabismus has not gone away. It is important to know that the displacement of the eyeball can be so insignificant that the parent does not notice deviations, so it is recommended to contact a pediatric ophthalmologist to rule out a possible risk.
If we talk more about the occurrence of strabismus in a person, then it is worth noting the following factors:
- Heredity may be the causestrabismus.
- During an abnormal pregnancy, the eyes of the fetus in the womb may not develop correctly.
- Infectious diseases, taking certain medications or high temperatures can also affect the development of the muscles of the eyeballs.
- If the central nervous system malfunctions, one must beware of these deviations.
- If your eyes and head are injured, you should contact an ophthalmologist for diagnosis.
- Don't forget about stress and psychological shocks.
Surgery is the only option?
Many doctors immediately start talking about surgery - this is the approach of traditional medicine. No need to panic, but ask about hardware treatment that can be done at home or in the office of an ophthalmologist. For reassurance, you can talk to parents who have experienced this problem and whose children have benefited from therapeutic treatment.
Even if a parent agrees to an operation out of fear of harming the child and exacerbating the development of strabismus, one must remember that one operation cannot be enough. In any case, you will have to go through the hardware stage of treatment and wear special glasses.
Theory supported by doctors
William Horatio Bates lived in the late 19th and early 20th century and was already opposed to eye surgery. For 30 years he observed the development and functioning of the eyeball in adults and children. He insisted on the therapeutic treatment of patients with strabismus.
And for good reason… Nowadays, there are doctors who are convinced of the correctness of Bates's point of view and help people eliminate the deficiency without surgical intervention. Naturally, there are exceptions - sometimes you simply cannot do without a scalpel.
Methods of treating strabismus
Often people do not have enough time to go to the ophthalmologist, and if strabismus is excessive, it is necessary to exercise at home at least 2 times a day for 5-10 minutes. The most effective methods are those aimed at strengthening the muscles of the eye.
Some of the exercises for strabismus in adults:
- You need to take a standing position, stretch one arm in front of you, parallel to the floor. The head must be kept in one position, only the pupils should work. Next, gently bring your hand to your face, and then slowly return to its original position, parallel to the floor. The following hand movements should be directed in different directions: up, down, right, left. All this time, the gaze should be focused only on the hand.
- This exercise for divergent strabismus should be performed near a window from which you can look into the distance, or on the street. It consists in focusing your gaze first on an object that is as far away as possible, and then transferring it to a nearby object. And so repeat for 5-10 minutes (up to 20 minutes if possible). It is important that the objects are clear, visible from the rest.
- You can tie a he althy eye with a bandage and drive in front of your facedifferent sides with an object, for example, a pencil, and take it as far as possible in the direction where the tense muscle does not let the eyeball in.
- Effective method is an exercise for eyes with strabismus "Eight". It consists in repeating the number 8 with smooth successive movements of the pupil. Then it is the same, only in an inverted position (sign ∞).
These exercises for strabismus with regular repetition in slow, smooth movements will help get rid of the problem. But we must be prepared for the fact that this is a long process that requires time and effort.
What to do with a child's strabismus
Of course, a small child will not be able to do these exercises due to physiological characteristics. In this case, parents need to periodically drive bright objects near the baby, forcing him to follow them.
If the child is older and allows, without indignation, to fix his head in one position, then you can start charging. For example, an exercise for strabismus in children can be performed by simply picking up an interesting thing (for example, a toy, candy) and moving it in different directions. In this case, you need to focus on the oblique looking eye and try to force the pupil to look at the object, moving it in the opposite direction from the normal position of the eyeball.
Prevention of strabismus
Prophylaxis of strabismus means periodic visits to the ophthalmologist, mandatory daily exercises and the exclusion of increased eye strain.
It is important to remember that only a competent approach and a responsible attitude to constant exercises can give a high-quality result.
In order to strengthen the immune system and help effectively shift the eyeballs, traditional medicine advises eating dark chocolate with 60% or more cocoa.
Conclusion
Remember that strabismus is not a sentence, and with timely access to a specialist, treatment can bring a positive result. By following the recommendations of professionals and performing simple exercises to correct strabismus, you can save not only a child, but also an adult from the disease.
