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Have Nystagmus, High Cylindrical Power, Squint Eye. Can It Be Cured By Surgery?

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Posted on Thu, 23 May 2013
Question: I am generally a healthy person. I have nystagmus from birth ( involuntary movement of the eye). This is also noted for my maternal uncle and aunt. I am very fair and have brown hair. I started putting glasses at the age of 10 - my power was -0.5 and then it increased till it is -2.5 in the right eye and -5 in the left - along with this I also have high cylindrical power which is -1.5 in right eye and -2.25 in the left. I am not sure when it started but I started to get a squnit because of the power difference between the two eyes. I see much better with my right eye and can see till the 5th line in the doctor eye test. I can only read till the 4th line with the left eye - this is after wearing glasses. My question is can I get my squint cured through an operation? is it advisable? also what are the risks for such an operation - will it increase my vision. My lens is clear and eye preasuure is healthy. I have a child who is 7, but he does not have this problem. Please advise.
doctor
Answered by Dr. N K Mishra (1 hour later)
Dear XXXXXXX
thanks for sending your query to us.
I get the impression that you are a partial albino,people who have lighter pigment all over the body,including iris.
This type of problem is always associated with nystagmus due to poor fixation.
Squint correction in your case is always welcome.
There is no risk of surgery,and it will not increase your vision.
please do get back to me in case of any further query in this regard.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. N K Mishra (49 minutes later)
thank you for your response doctor. My iris is dark brown and yes I am very fair, but donot have a pigmentation issue - as in the skin colour is uniform through out the body. I have uploaded a snap of mine if that helps. Just wanted to understand - how does one develop a squint? Is there a way to strengthen the left eye such that the squint is reduced without the surgery?

Also can I get more details around the squint correction surgery -

1) How long does the recovery take?
2) what precautions do i need to take while recovering?
3) What are the risks involved?
4) Does my power change after the surgery?

Also to report my sugar, thyrois and lipid levels are normal ( got the tests done last week) and my BP is 100/70.
doctor
Answered by Dr. N K Mishra (1 hour later)
Dear XXXXXXX
thanks for getting back to us.
looking at your photograph i would still keep you in partial albino categery.Tis has uniform depigmentation decrease all over the body,including the eye,leading to loss of fixation thereby having nystagmus.
One develops squint at a earlier age where due to lesser vision in one eye the eye may deviate.
Squint and less vision require different approach.
To improve less vision of left eye,best results are by 8 to 12 years of life,when right eye is closed permanently and you do all your with left eye thereby improving the vision.After 12 years of age the response keeps on reducing as the time passes.
This treatment is called pleoptic tt and the condetion is also known as lazy eye.
Recovery after surgery takes 10 to 15 days.
not much of precautions are needed after surgery.
It is a safe surgery in good hands.
There are no changes in the power of eyes as these are two different aspects of eye.
Power is from the eye ball and squint is managed by operating the muscles outside the eye ball.
please do get back to me in case of any further query.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. N K Mishra (25 minutes later)
thanks doctor,

that really helps. So do you think I should go for the squint correction surgery, even thoguh it will not improve the vision in the left eye. Are there chances that I will redevelop the squint after some time?
doctor
Answered by Dr. N K Mishra (15 minutes later)
Dear XXXXXXX
thanks for getting back to us.
Contact a ophthalmologist nearby who does squint surgery.
You have to undergo orthoptic checkup for measurement of angle of squint.
The angle will decide if one or two muscles are to be tackled.
That will decide the time of surgery which will be 1/2 ti 1 hour.
Chances of recurrence of squint are remote.
This surgery will need local injection around the eye and is a easy procedure.
welcome back for any further query.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. N K Mishra

Ophthalmologist

Practicing since :1977

Answered : 1297 Questions

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Have Nystagmus, High Cylindrical Power, Squint Eye. Can It Be Cured By Surgery?

Dear XXXXXXX
thanks for sending your query to us.
I get the impression that you are a partial albino,people who have lighter pigment all over the body,including iris.
This type of problem is always associated with nystagmus due to poor fixation.
Squint correction in your case is always welcome.
There is no risk of surgery,and it will not increase your vision.
please do get back to me in case of any further query in this regard.