Squint also known as strabismus is a condition wherein the eyes are not aligned in the same direction, it is caused due to an incorrect balance of muscles, refractive error, nerve palsy, thyroid eye disease, stroke or tumours or several other illnesses. Some patients have cranial nerve dysfunction which affects the control of the movement of eye muscles, which can further lead to misalignment of the eye muscles. Thankfully it is not a permanent condition and can be corrected through a minor operation. The cost of squint surgery in India ranges from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 50,000. It may vary depending on the city and hospital.
Childhood squint:
Squint can be discovered in babies after a few weeks of their birth. Some children are affected with pseudo squint wherein actually there is no squint but the eyes appear misaligned due to a wide gap between the two eyes. The reasons for childhood squint may be due to congenital squint, nerve injury, hypermetropia, childhood illness or hereditary factors.
Strabismus Surgery:
The patient is undergone a thorough examination prior to the surgery to determine the type of squint which will determine the vision and fixation pattern of both the eyes. The squint can be assessed by performing various tests like refraction test, binocular vision test and fundus examination which determines the fixation pattern. The surgery is generally performed in both the eyes even if only one eye is affected. Both eyes are operated to regenerate balance between both the eyes. Strabismus surgery involves two procedures namely recession and resection to correct the squint. If the eye muscles are too strong then recession procedure is followed wherein the surgeon detaches the affected extraocular muscle from the eye and re-attaches it relatively back on the eye to weaken the relative strength of the muscles.
If the eye muscles are too weak the resection procedure is performed to tighten the muscles as per requirement to achieve more balanced function of the eye muscles. Post surgery the patient may experience slight eye irritation such as soreness, redness or itching during the recovery period. The patients need to follow the instructions given by the surgeon and also the medicines prescribed. For a better eye alignment, the surgeon may strengthen lateral rectus muscles located on the side of each eye. This procedure will correct the misalignment associated with strabismus. With adjustable sutures strabismus surgery, the surgeon adjusts the stitches accordingly to hold the eye muscles in place for a better vision post surgery. The strabismus surgery is performed externally and hence it does not affect the vision. The squint eye correction surgery cost in India is comparatively much cheaper as compared to other countries. However, the cost may vary depending on various other factors.
It is extremely crucial to consult an experienced ophthalmologist for this surgery as the surgery needs to be successful in the first go itself. A second attempt can cause excessive pain and complications.
The strabismus surgery takes about two hours to complete and does not require hospitalisation. Generally, the eye dressing can be removed the very next day and the patient will have to use the prescribed eye drops a couple of times a day, during the next few weeks. The external stitches taken are absorbable and need not be removed.
Nowadays, it is very convenient to book surgery packages online. All the details regarding the hospital, surgery and cost involved are available online, so one can compare the details and book a package accordingly.
The success ratio of strabismus surgery is quite high and gives a better vision to children and adults who opt for the surgery.
