Sight and the human eye is a miracle!
In micro-engineering terms the accuracy to which this intricate sensory organ has to develop in order for anyone to see absolutely normally is incredible. Any inaccuracy of length or curvature in the order of less than 100ths of a millimetre makes all the difference between perfect sight and poor vision.
Equally even the slightest imperfection of any of the 6 ocular muscles which control the movement and position of the eye ball can determine whether we see one image or two --- that is have double vision!
A squint occurs when one eye fails to co-ordinate with the other and appears to be looking in a different direction. Most frequently an eye may appear to turn in or out but sometimes, less frequently, one may turn up or down.
Squints usually occur in early childhood and can be treated by exercises (orthoptics) or by a small operation to alter the muscle lengths. Occasionally, because of the presence of a squint, one eye may not learn to see to it's full ability and has permanent poor vision which cannot be corrected with optically - this is often called a 'lazy eye'.
People who have a squint sometimes believe that they are unsuitable to wear Contact Lenses but this is generally not the case. As a rule of thumb we say that, whatever a pair of glasses do to correct a squint, Contact Lenses will usually do at least as well but sometimes better!
Even if your glasses incorporate special lenses to help the squint (prisms) Contact Lenses can be constructed to have the same optical effect. Obviously, like any more complex correction, not all Optometrists have the skill to fit lenses for squints so this is another area where less experienced colleagues refer their patients to us for treatment.
For further information take a look at some of these websites:
www.optical-solutions.co.uk/squints.html
www.hpd.nova.edu/otm/otm-a/eom.html |
