Successful surgical correction of strabismus, for adult as well as children, has been shown to have a significantly positive effect on psychological well-being.Very little research exists regarding coping strategies employed by adult strabismics. One study categorized coping methods into three subcategories: avoidance (refraining from participation in an activity), distraction (deflecting attention from the condition), and adjustment (approaching an activity differently). The authors of the study suggested that individuals with strabismus may benefit from psychosocial support such as interpersonal skills training. No studies have evaluated whether psychosocial interventions have had any benefits on individuals undergoing strabismus surgery. Pathophysiology
The extraocular muscles control the position of the eyes. Thus, a problem with the muscles or the nerves controlling them can cause paralytic strabismus. The extraocular muscles are controlled by cranial nerves III, IV, and VI. An impairment of cranial nerve III causes the associated eye to deviate down and out and may or may not affect the size of the pupil. Impairment of cranial nerve IV, which can be congenital, causes the eye to drift up and perhaps slightly inward. Sixth nerve palsy causes the eyes to deviate inward and has many causes due to the relatively long path of the nerve. Increased cranial pressure can compress the nerve as it runs between the clivus and brain stem. Also, if the doctor is not careful, twisting of the babys neck during forceps delivery can damage cranial nerve VI.Evidence indicates a cause for strabismus may lie with the input provided to the visual cortex.
Notalgia paresthetica or Notalgia paraesthetica (NP) (also known as "Hereditary localized pruritus", "Posterior pigmented pruritic patch", and "subscapular pruritus") is a chronic sensory neuropathy. Notalgia paresthetica is a common localized itch, affecting mainly the area between the shoulder blades (especially the T2–T6 dermatomes) but occasionally with a more widespread distribution, involving the shoulders, back, and upper chest. : 402  The characteristic symptom is pruritus (itch or sensation that makes a person want to scratch) on the back, usually on the left hand side below the shoulder blade (mid to upper back). It is occasionally accompanied by pain, paresthesia (pins and needles), or hyperesthesia (unusual or pathologically increased sensitivity of the skin to sensory stimuli, such as pain, heat, cold, or touch), which results in a well circumscribed hyperpigmentation of a skin patch in the affected area. Causes
The correlation of notalgia paresthetica localization with corresponding degenerative changes in the spine suggests that spinal nerve impingement may be a contributing cause. According to Plete and Massey, "The posterior rami of spinal nerves arising in T2 through T6 are unique in that they pursue a right-angle course through the multifidus spinae muscle, and this particular circumstance may predispose them to harm from otherwise innocuous insults of a varied nature." Patients may have other conditions that predispose them to peripheral neuropathies (nerve damage).The causes of this condition have not yet been completely defined. Patients are usually older persons. Diagnosis
Treatment
Therapy for notalgia paresthetica is directed at controlling symptoms, as no cure exists for the condition.