Strabismus

Strabismus is the medical term for eye misalignment, also known as crossed eyes or wandering eyes. Strabismus can develop at anytime during childhood, but most commonly between birth and age 5. Untreated, strabismus can harm depth perception. If one eye becomes dominant, amblyopia, or poor vision, can also occur.

Strabismus in children can often be easily identified by a parent or primary care provider. However, some forms are more difficult to identify. Vision screening at school or at a primary care doctor’s office can help detect poor vision in one eye. If you are uncertain about the accuracy of the vision screen or if there is a family history of amblyopia or strabismus, have your child evaluated between the ages of 3-5 by a pediatric ophthalmologist.

Adult Strabismus clinicians provide comprehensive diagnoses and treatment for eye conditions that cause eye misalignment in adults 18 and over. These conditions may arise from many different causes, including trauma and diseases that affect the muscles, nerves or brain.

Our clinicians have expertise in diagnosing and treating all causes of adult strabismus. Treatments include prism therapy, Botox injections and strabismus surgery. In cases of double vision, we use an adjustable suture technique that allows the surgeon to further adjust the muscle position (if needed) following the completion of surgery so that the vast majority of patients go home that night with straight eyes without double vision.

Learn more about Brigham and Women's Hospital


For over a century, a leader in patient care, medical education and research, with expertise in virtually every specialty of medicine and surgery.

About BWH