Esotropia: Treatment, Cost and Side Effects

Esotropia is a condition which affects the eyes making one or both turn inwards. This condition can be of several types where some might affect infants whereas the other type may develop in adults. The type of esotropia is classified depending on the frequency, the person’s age. It also depends on whether it is eye focusing or not. The treatment of this condition depends on the severity of the problem. The time since when the condition has developed also needs to be considered before starting the treatment.

The treatment for esotropia tries to aim at correcting double vision, correcting lazy eye, trying to improve the vision problems in both eyes as well as eye alignment. This condition may affect only 1 or 2 percent of people but may still be one of the most common forms of eye misalignment. The condition can be acquired at birth. Children who get treated at a young age show almost no symptoms of vision problems in the later stages of life. If the condition develops in late childhood or adulthood then wearing contact lenses or glasses can help in managing the problem. The underlying reason for the condition should also be treated to get rid of the problem.

There are a number of treatment options available for people suffering from this problem. Glasses or using contact lenses is one of the most common tools for treating the problem. This first line of treatment can help in correcting eye misalignment or farsightedness. Bifocal lenses may be required for people who wear glasses but still get cross eyes. Another method of treatment can be vision therapy as eye exercises may help strengthen the eye vision and improve the muscles around the eye. Wearing a patch on the eyes is another form of vision therapy. Wearing the patch on the unaffected eye might help correcting the functioning of the crossed eye.

Some people also opt for Botox infections to help get rid of the issue. The injection can be used to realign the eyes of those people who have mild esotropia. For some people getting a surgery may be the answer as a surgical treatment may help in changing the length of the muscle around the eyes. But this does not assure that the patient may not need to wear contact lenses or glasses completely.

Individuals who have cross eyes should get a treatment to improve their vision. People who complain of having double vision, start habitually squinting and constantly rub their eyes should get themselves checked for esotropia before the condition worsens.

Individuals who do not show symptoms of nearsightedness or do not have cross eyes are not eligible for the treatment.

People who opt for botox injections to strengthen the muscles of their eyes have to be careful of certain side effects. Droopy eyelids, double vision, blurred vision; eyelid swelling and dry eyes are some of the complications which should consider before going for botox injections. Other surgeries for the treatment of esotropia may have side effects like flap problems, dry eyes among others.

Wearing glasses and contact lenses regularly is required of individuals who are dealing with the problem of esotropia. For patients who undergo surgeries to correct the problem, blurry vision is common on the first day after surgery. It takes a few months for a the patient’s cornea to completely heal after the surgery. However, one should avoid any contact with the sun to protect your eyes.

Wearing glasses or contact lens on a permanent basis is expected from patients suffering from this problem. For ones who opt for surgeries, it takes around six months to completely recover from the condition. Botox injections need at least a week to show the final results, however this time period will vary for some.

An eye surgery may charge up to Rs 36,000 for the treatment of the condition.

The results of botox injections and surgeries are permanent. However, they come with a set of complications which patients need to consider. For patients who choose to wear glasses and contact lenses, the need for them may be permanent.

Patients can opt for some orthotropic exercises to improve the movement of the muscles around your eyes as an alternative treatment to the surgeries and botox injections.