Child with a squint

A squint is a condition where both eyes point in different directions. One of the eyes may point upwards, downwards, inwards or outwards. They are fairly common, affecting 1 in 20 children. They usually appear in early childhood, but they can appear later on.

One of the most obvious signs is that one of the eyes will point in a different direction. Other signs to look out for are:

  • Tilting their head when looking at things

  • Closing one eye

  • Different coloured pupil reflexes in photos

Squints can cause double vision, and if left untreated can lead to amblyopia (lazy eye). This is where the affected eye suffers from poor vision, as a result of the brain receiving poor signals from that eye. If detected early enough, both squints and amblyopia can be treated, however the earlier the squint is detected, the better the chances of ensuring that vision is protected.

SQUINTS AND AMBLYOPIA