Strabismus, commonly known as crossed eyes, is a complex eye alignment condition that affects millions of adults and children worldwide. Colorado Eye Consultants offers specialized treatment for adult strabismus and eye alignment disorders, providing both surgical and nonsurgical solutions tailored specifically for adult patients.
Strabismus occurs when the eyes are not properly aligned and point in different directions. One eye may look straight ahead while the other turns inward, outward, upward, or downward. This misalignment can be constant or intermittent, and it may shift between eyes.
The condition affects vision because both eyes must work together to focus on the same target for proper depth perception and clear sight. When this coordination breaks down, adults usually experience double vision because their brains continue processing images from both eyes.
Children may also develop double vision, but their brains are more likely to adapt by ignoring, or suppressing, the image from the eye that is out of alignment. Six muscles control each eye’s movement, and these muscles must work in perfect harmony for proper alignment.
Effective treatment of strabismus lies in understanding how these complex muscle interactions affect adult vision and developing personalized strategies to restore optimal eye function.
Adult strabismus differs significantly from childhood strabismus in several important ways:
Adults with strabismus typically experience double vision because their mature brains cannot ignore the image from the misaligned eye. In contrast, children’s developing brains learn to suppress the image from the turned eye, often leading to amblyopia (lazy eye) instead of double vision.
While childhood strabismus often relates to developmental issues or refractive errors, adult strabismus frequently results from medical conditions such as diabetes, thyroid eye disease, stroke, or neurological disorders. It can also develop following trauma or as a late-onset manifestation of childhood strabismus.
Adult strabismus treatment requires specialized expertise because the visual system is fully developed. The team at Colorado Eye Consultants understands the unique considerations involved in correcting eye alignment in mature patients, including how to address long-standing adaptations and compensatory mechanisms.
Adult strabismus can develop from various underlying conditions and factors:
Diabetes can affect the nerves controlling eye muscles, while thyroid eye disease causes inflammation and muscle restriction. Myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disorder, can lead to variable eye muscle weakness throughout the day.
Brain tumors, strokes, or head injuries can disrupt the neural pathways that control eye movement and alignment. These conditions require careful evaluation and specialized treatment approaches.
Complications from retinal surgery, cataract surgery, or other eye procedures can occasionally result in muscle damage or scarring that affects eye alignment.
Many adults with strabismus had the condition as children. Previous surgical corrections may lose effectiveness over time, or underlying muscle imbalances may resurface in adulthood.
The comprehensive evaluation process at Colorado Eye Consultants involves identifying the specific cause of each patient’s strabismus, ensuring treatment addresses the root problem rather than just the symptoms.
The symptoms of adult strabismus can significantly impact daily life. These symptoms can be constant or intermittent, often worsening with fatigue or stress:
The most common and troublesome symptom, double vision, occurs when both eyes send different images to the brain. This can make reading, driving, and other daily activities extremely challenging.
Constant effort to align the eyes or compensate for double vision leads to significant eye strain, headaches, and general fatigue.
Many adults unconsciously tilt or turn their head to minimize double vision or achieve better eye alignment for clearer vision.
Difficulty judging distances can impact activities such as driving, sports, and navigating stairs or curbs.
The visible misalignment of one’s eyes can cause self-consciousness and impact professional and personal relationships.
Colorado Eye Consultants offers comprehensive treatment approaches tailored to each patient’s unique needs:
Colorado Eye Consultants performs highly specialized procedures to reposition eye muscles for optimal alignment. Surgery may involve tightening weak muscles, loosening overly tight muscles, or repositioning muscles to new locations.
The procedure typically involves making small incisions in the tissue covering the eye to access the eye muscles and adjusting muscle tension and positioning to restore proper eye alignment. Most surgeries are performed on an outpatient basis, with patients returning to normal activities within days.
Specially designed prism lenses can redirect light entering the eyes, effectively eliminating double vision for patients with smaller degrees of misalignment. Our team works closely with optical specialists to determine the optimal prism prescription for each patient.
For select cases, your eye doctor may recommend Botox injections into specific eye muscles. This treatment temporarily weakens overactive muscles, allowing proper eye alignment.
The effects typically last several months and may provide permanent improvement in some patients.
Specialized eye exercises can help patients with convergence insufficiency, where the eyes struggle to work together for close-up tasks.
Choosing Colorado Eye Consultants for adult strabismus treatment means accessing truly specialized care. Dr. Freeman is among the very few ophthalmologists in the United States exclusively dedicated to adult strabismus treatment.
His 37-year career includes building one of the largest eye alignment practices in the country, completing tens of thousands of successful eye alignment correction procedures, and earning recognition as an Honorary Orthoptist by the American Association of Certified Orthoptists. With fellowship training at the prestigious UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute and decades of surgical refinement, Dr. Freeman employs the most advanced surgical and nonsurgical techniques available for adult strabismus treatment.
Dr. Freeman’s warm, engaging approach and commitment to patient education ensure you understand your condition and treatment options. He strives to maintain a comfortable, welcoming environment during what can be a stressful medical experience.
Schedule your consultation at Colorado Eye Consultants in Littleton, CO, today to discover how specialized adult strabismus treatment can transform your vision and restore your confidence.
Colorado Eye Consultants is dedicated to the preservation of sight and providing patients with the quality of life they deserve. Our patients receive personalized care by knowledgeable and experienced board certified ophthalmologists to ensure the clarity needed to see the most important things in their world. Your vision is our utmost priority and we offer same day appointments to ensure you get the care you deserve!
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1501 West Mineral Ave.
Suite 100
Littleton, CO 80120