When one or both eyes don’t point in the same direction, that’s strabismus, a condition where the eyes are misaligned, often called crossed eyes or wall eye. Also known as squint, it’s not just a cosmetic issue—it affects depth perception, can lead to lazy eye, and sometimes signals underlying neurological or muscular problems. Strabismus can show up in babies, kids, or even adults after trauma, stroke, or long-term illness. It’s more common than you think: about 4% of children in the U.S. have it, and many cases go undiagnosed until school age.
What causes it? Sometimes it’s genetic. Other times, it’s tied to how the brain controls eye muscles. Conditions like cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, or untreated farsightedness can trigger it. In adults, sudden strabismus can be a red flag for stroke, tumor, or nerve damage. And yes—some medications can play a role. Antihistamines, sedatives, and even certain antidepressants can cause temporary eye misalignment by affecting muscle coordination. While rare, this is why doctors ask about your meds before recommending vision therapy or surgery.
Most kids with strabismus respond well to treatment. Glasses can fix refractive errors that pull the eyes out of alignment. Patching the stronger eye helps the weaker one catch up, especially if lazy eye, a condition where the brain ignores input from one eye, leading to permanent vision loss if untreated is involved. Vision therapy uses exercises to train the eyes to work together. In more severe cases, surgery adjusts the eye muscles to realign them. Adults can benefit from these same methods, though recovery takes longer.
What you won’t find in most guides is how often strabismus overlaps with other health issues. For example, someone on long-term antipsychotics might develop eye movement problems that look like strabismus. Or a child with epilepsy on multiple meds might show signs of muscle imbalance that aren’t caught early. That’s why understanding the full picture matters—not just the eyes, but the body and the drugs affecting it.
Below, you’ll find real-world advice from people who’ve dealt with strabismus, from parents navigating pediatric eye care to adults managing double vision after medication changes. We cover when to push for a specialist, what to ask your pharmacist about drug side effects, and how to spot the subtle signs that something’s off with your child’s vision. This isn’t just about eye patches and surgery—it’s about connecting the dots between medications, neurological health, and how your eyes move.
Strabismus is a common eye misalignment that can affect vision and confidence. Learn how glasses, patches, and surgery can correct it, what to expect from treatment, and why early intervention matters for lasting results.
