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The eye disorder known as strabismus (struh-BIZ-muss), or crossed eyes, also called squint, occurs when one or both of your eyes turns in, out, up, or down. Esotropia (es-so-TRO-pee-uh) is the type of crossed eyes referring specifically to the eyes turning in. Strabismus is usually caused by poor control by the muscles of your eye, or it can be a problem of eye-brain coordination. It can be present at birth, and it often first appears in childhood, but if your eyes tend to cross, this tendency can increase as you get older. It can also develop at some later point in life, including in older persons who've had perfectly normal vision in both their eyes all their lives. Another characterization of strabismus is that the same eye may always be the one to turn inward, or the eyes may alternate. Symptoms may also include headaches or blurred vision. In treating crossed eyes in an adult, it's important to investigate any underlying cause, which could be something as serious as a hemorrhage into the brain where one of the nerves supplying an eye muscle originates. That could indicate a stroke or a brain tumor. Treating strabismus in adults is difficult, unless the underlying cause is treated, if one is present. If the eye disorder is secondary to a minor stroke, diabetes, or high blood pressure, treating these conditions will usually gradually improve the alignment of the eyes. Exercises, surgery, or the use of eye drops or regular glasses usually don't solve the problem if it's being caused by a secondary condition. The earlier the condition is detected and treated, the better the eventual outcome.
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