Strabismus (say "struh-BIZ-mus") is a vision problem in which
both eyes do not look at the same point at the same time.
Strabismus most often begins in early childhood. It is sometimes
called crossed-eyes, walleye, or squint. Normally, the muscles
attached to each eye work together to move both eyes in the same
direction at the same time. Strabismus occurs when the eye
muscles don't work properly to control eye movement. When the
eye muscles don't work as they should, the eyes may become
misaligned and the brain may not be able to merge what one eye
sees with what the other eye sees. A child rarely outgrows
strabismus after it has developed. Without treatment, strabismus
can cause permanent vision problems. For example, if the child
is not using one eye because it is misaligned, he or she can
develop poor vision in that eye (called lazy eye or amblyopia).
Having strabismus can be hard on your child's self-esteem. It
affects your child's appearance as well as his or her ability to
see well. Other kids may teas