• What are the most common diseases in children?

Some of the most common eye diseases that need to be treated in childhood are strabismus, myopia (lazy eye, amblyopia), cataracts in children, nystagmus (shaking eyes). Diopters as a refractive error of the eye, if any, should be treated in childhood in order to provide good visual acuity.  

  • What is the disease of strabismus and how does it occur?

Strabismus is a disorder of the position or movement of the eyes where both eyes do not have a common direction of vision. In healthy eyes, both eyes stand upright looking at the same point, and the movements of the eyeballs are coordinated. In some cases strabismus occurs because the mobility of one eye in a certain direction is limited. In children, strabismus is usually congenital or develops in early childhood, but can also occur in mechanical injuries or various neurological or internal diseases. In adults, strabismus often occurs in the case of a head or eye injury due to paralysis of some of the muscles that move the eye. It can also occur with some endocrine or immune diseases (thyroid disease). The most common forms of strabismus are: esotropia (eye facing inwards) or exotropia (eye standing outwards) and less often vertical bleeding of the eye. It is often associated with other vision disorders (low vision, refractive errors, nystagmus).  

  • Why should I have surgery?

Strabismus in children impairs the healthy development of vision and therefore it is important to start treatment as early as possible. It is often combined with other vision disorders in children, so it needs to be treated in combination with other methods of treatment. The most common consequence of strabismus is amblyopia of the eye that is not straight. Myopia can be treated only in childhood and therefore it is best to operate on strabismus while the vision is developing.  

  • What does the intervention look like?

Strabismus surgery is performed under general anesthesia and lasts from half an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the complexity of the procedure. The purpose of the operation is to bring the eye to the desired position, and in case of paralysis, the eye muscle returns to mobility. In order to achieve the desired position of the eye, it is necessary with surgery to weaken or strengthen the action of the muscle. This is accomplished by moving the muscle grip, shortening, splitting, or creating a double grip. In case of muscle paralysis (reduced mobility), the paralytic muscle is joined by healthy muscles that surround it to improve its mobility / mobility. Strabismus surgery makes it easier for the patient to keep both eyes in the same plane. In our hospital, in almost all cases, complete cure is achieved.  

  • What is the postoperative period?

After strabismus surgery, the patient can go home the same day. The next day the first control is performed. Children are advised to stay in hospital with their parents until the first check-up. In the early postoperative period (up to seven days) there is a common feeling of discomfort and sensitivity to light. It takes about two weeks for the wound to heal completely and for the eye to become completely white again. Prescribed drop therapy is applied for up to three weeks after the operation. During this period it is recommended to avoid strenuous physical exertion, swimming pools and smoky rooms. The second control is done one week, and the third month after the operation. Children can go back to kindergarten or school after two weeks. Returning to work depends on the type of work. In office work, the person can return to daily responsibilities after another seven days.