Vertical squint

El vertical strabismus is a type of strabismus that causes one or both eyes deviate vertically, toward up or to down.

The joint action of the extrinsic muscles of the eye allows the eyeball to move in a vertical, horizontal, lateral and circular direction.

In total there are 6 muscles involved in eye mobility: superior rectus, inferior rectus, medial rectus, lateral rectus, inferior oblique, and superior oblique. 

When some extrinsic muscle of the eye has a limitation, what we know as squint, a disorder characterized by line of sight deviation of one or both ocular structures.

Vertical squint

El vertical strabismus is a type of strabismus that causes one or both eyes deviate vertically, toward up or to down.

The joint action of the extrinsic muscles of the eye allows the eyeball to move in a vertical, horizontal, lateral and circular direction.

In total there are 6 muscles involved in eye mobility: superior rectus, inferior rectus, medial rectus, lateral rectus, inferior oblique, and superior oblique. 

When some extrinsic muscle of the eye has a limitation, what we know as squint, a disorder characterized by line of sight deviation of one or both ocular structures.

What is vertical squint?

Strabismus is a disorder that occurs when the eyes do not have the same visual alignment and, as a consequence, they look in different directions, preventing the fusion of the two images on the retina.

El vertical squint is a type of squint which is characterized because while one eye keeps gaze fixed on an object, the other shifts visual alignment up or down.

Likewise, vertical strabismus can occur in isolation, but it is also usually accompanied by horizontal squint.

Types of vertical deviations

Vertical strabismus deviations are classified as follows: 

Hypertropia

This type of deviation occurs when the visual axis of the affected eye is higher than the fixation eye

The affected eye can deviate frequently and that frequency can vary considerably throughout the day. The dissociated vertical deviation it can affect one or both eyes, it can be congenital or acquired and its origin lies in an imbalance of the extraocular muscles. 

Deviation in children can cause farsightedness I amblyopia, a problem that affects visual acuity.

vertical strabismus

Hypotropia

This type of vertical strabismus deviation occurs when the axis of the deviated eye is lower than that of the fixating eye.

However, in ophthalmology, the term hypotropia is rarely used, as we often refer to a deviated eye as "hypertropia", regardless of axis level.

Causes of vertical squint

The origin of strabismus lies in the muscles of the eye (extrinsic), which are responsible for the eyeball being able to move in different directions.

At vertical strabismus, the affected muscles are those that exert an action in a vertical direction. During the elevation the superior rectus and inferior oblique intervene; and in depression the inferior rectus and the superior oblique. 

When a patient presents vertical strabismus and vertical movements of the eye are limited, the first thing to do is to thoroughly examine the ocular structure to determine which of the ocular muscles is affected. 

On the other hand, when the vertical strabismus is of character concomitant, that is, the value is the same in any gaze position, usually means that the origin of the problem is in the vertical rectus muscles: superior rectus and inferior rectus.

Now, if the deviation is greater in laterversions, it is intuited that the disorder originates in the oblique muscles.

Symptom

Infantile vertical squint does not usually cause significant visual disturbances. However, it is very evident and it is usually the parents who detect this disorder. 

The symptoms of vertical strabismus are: 

  • uncoordinated eye movements
  • deviation of one or both eyes
  • Difficulty focusing images correctly, especially those objects that are at close range.
  • Double vision
  • Loss of depth perception of campo. 
  • Loss of visual acuity
  • The symptoms of vertical strabismus may worsen if the patient has Stress, sleep disorders o Chronic fatigue
child vertical squint

Treatment of vertical strabismus

El The goal of treating vertical strabismus is the same as that of the other types of strabismus: align the eyes, stimulate the correct mobility of the affected muscles and restore vision

To treat vertical strabismus, ophthalmologists have the following treatment options: 

  • use of glasses to correct vision or refractive error that may exist in the eye. Usually people with vertical strabismus suffer from farsightedness, which is difficulty seeing close objects. 
  • Place a eye patch affected to stimulate the movement of the eye muscles and thus avoid lazy eye or amblyopia. 
  • La surgery to correct vertical strabismus is, increasingly, a safe option. The strabismus surgery Vertical strabismus has evolved enormously in recent years and today, thanks to the evolution of diagnostic and surgical control systems, it is a safe and effective option to correct vertical strabismus.
Summary
What is vertical strabismus? Causes, symptoms and treatment
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What is vertical strabismus? Causes, symptoms and treatment
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Find out what vertical strabismus is, what its causes are, what symptoms it has and what its treatment is.
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Área Oftalmológica Avanzada
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