Should i go through with my scheduled strabismus surgery?

Question

i'm 21 years old, and i have intermittent exotropia in my right eye, which is also kind of blind.

the squint usually happens when i'm tired, not wearing my contacts, or if i'm infront of the computer for a long time (at work and school).

i really want to go through this surgery to fix this annoying occuring problem throughout the day, but i've been also reading other people's expiriences from the surgery on this site, and i can't say that i'm not a little worried. things came up like over-correction, undercorrection, taking a long time for the eye to settle in...etc. ::: these are all things i'm worried about.

i'd love to hear what you have to say. i'm scheduled to go in to surgery in 3 weeks.

Answer 1

I had that surgery at age 2. But my results were much less than perfect. A few years later, the crossed eye turned out again, but now the other way. My problem became worse than ever.

I then went through vision therapy a few years later, which solved my issues with the strabismic eye. My eyes learned to focus together, and my eye no longer turned out. Vision therapy is expensive though, and takes about a year of work. There were generally 15 minutes of eye exercises a day!

I suggest getting a second opinion. Most opthamologists lean only towards the surgery, because that is what they are trained in. Try finding an optometrist who knows about vision therapy, and see what your options are. I was always told that my only option was to get the surgery by my first eye doctor, until I decided to find a new one. It really worked out for me, and I sincerely hope you find the best treatment, whatever it may be.

Also, I am just wondering, is the vision in your right eye much worse than the left? And is that vision  not correctable by glasses. If yes, I believe you may have developed amblyopia (or lazy eye). That is where your brain starts to ignore the crossed eye, and the vision gets much worse over time. I had that condition too, and if you do, I really suggest not getting the surgery! By getting the surgery when you have amblyopia, the likelihood of your eyes ever working together becomes much worse. If you really do have a lazy eye, make sure you find an eye doctor who is trained in vision therapy!

http://www.strabismus.org/amblyopia_lazy...

http://www.visiontherapy.org/

Take care!

Answer 2

I'd be interested to know when you first noticed a problem with that eye.  Intermittent exotropia usually starts in childhood.

The natural course of intermittent exotropia is that it gradually gets worse in many (but not all) people.  

Regarding the eye that doesn't see as well, your doctor may want to try maneuvers to encourage you to use that eye more, but at your age, vision probably won't improve drastically.  

Most eye surgeons would generally say that surgery is indicated if the eye deviates more than half the time or if it continues to deviate more frequently.  

Like any surgery there are risks.  As you mentioned, over- and undercorrection are the most common problems with this procedure.  However, most patients have very good results after a period of recovery from surgery.  Feel free to discuss this with other eye surgeons in your area if you don't feel comfortable with the current plan.  Ophthalmologists who do these surgeries regularly would be your best bet. The good news with intermittent exotropia in adults is that it rarely needs to be corrected urgently, so you've got time to think about it.

Answer 3

I'm a first-year optometry student and I've learned quite a bit about strabismus because we try to catch it in little kids.  I think if the problem annoys you, you should definitely consider getting it fixed.  I don't think your eye will have too much trouble adjusting because your eyes already work together most of the time.  Not too sure about the over-correction and under-correction, though.  It's good to hear about other people's experiences, but also talk to your doctor about the risks, since he or she is familiar with your specific eyes.  Good luck!