Who Is At Risk For Strabismus?

Aug. 24, 2009— -- Question: Who is at risk for strabismus?

Answer: One of the major risk factors for childhood strabismus is having a family history. It's very important for the primary care provider to be aware of the family eye history and the increased risk for strabismus if there are family members who are affected. Early detection of strabismus can allow us to optimize the vision as the well as the development of binocularity, or the use of both eyes together in children who are at risk for eye misalignment.

Other risk factors for childhood strabismus include youngsters who are born prematurely; specifically those youngsters born in less than gestational age of 32 weeks are at higher risk. Also other conditions that increase the risk for a child to have strabismus include cerebral palsy and Down syndrome.