Esotropia is a type of strabismus that is marked by inward deviation of eyes in infants. In esotropia, one eye is turned towards the nose while the other eye looks normally. There are mainly 3 different categories of estropia — Pseudoesotropia, congenital or infantile estropia and accommodative esotropia.
What is Pseudoesotropia?
Pseudoesotropia (‘pseudo’ means false) refers to the false cross-eye appearance in a child whose eyes are perfectly aligned. In this condition, children having broad and flat nose bridge may develop fold of skin that partially covers the sclera closest to the nose. As a result the eyes give the appearance of crossed eyes. With the growth of nasal bones and the normal pulling away of the skin from the eyes, the crossed eye appearance gradually diminishes.
What is Congenital or Infantile Esotropia?
A child can be born with congenital or infantile esotropia or develop it during the initial 6 months of his life. Gradually, the eyes become more consistently aligned as coordination between the eyes develop.
What is Accommodative Esotropia?
Accommodative esotropia is a common form of strabismus that can develop in farsighted (hyperopia) children who are generally two years of age or more.
What Causes Esotropia?
Though the exact cause is still not known, esotropia can cause because of misalignment of the eyes or because of tumor.
What are the Symptoms of Esotropia?
The symptoms of esotropia are misaligned eyes and decreased vision.
What are the Treatments of Esotropia?
Children born with infantile or congenital esotropia can be treated with vision therapy and/or glasses. This can help in reducing the tendency of the eyes to turn inwards. If the inward turning is more acute, surgery can be an option.