Authors:
Blair E, Smithers-Sheedy H.
Authors notes:
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. 2016;58:57-9.
Keywords:
Isolated strabismus, lazy eye, social, psychosocial, psychosocial disadvantage
Abstract:
Isolated strabismus does not significantly impair visual functionality and has traditionally been considered a primarily cosmetic defect of little importance.
However, even in the absence of strabismus amblyopia, manifest strabismus and its non-surgical treatments can render the person less socially acceptable, creating a barrier to participation and resulting in psychosocial disadvantage that has been documented in the typically developing population.
The Australian Cerebral Palsy Register traditionally recorded strabismus only if it were not accompanied by visual impairment; however, even these data indicate that the proportion of cerebral palsy registrants with strabismus is many times higher than in comparable population samples, compounding their challenges to achieve participation.
It is therefore inappropriate to continue to consider strabismus as merely a cosmetic defect, but one that deserves surgical correction early in life.
What this paper adds: Manifest strabismus occurs many times more frequently in children with CP than in the typically developing population.
Manifest strabismus should not be considered merely a cosmetic defect but, particularly in children with multiple impairments, worthy of early surgical attention.