Cross-Eyed Babies: Early Treatment Is the Key

Babies' eyes sometimes appear to wander. The wandering eye could be looking in, out, up, or down. The cross-eyed gaze may seem adorable to some, but parents are mostly freaked out by it. However, this is considered normal as the infant's eye muscles are still developing, strengthening, and learning to focus. This usually stops by the time they are 4-6 months old.

Strabismus, or misalignment of the eyes, is very common in newborns and also occurs in older kids. Approximately 1 in 20 kids has strabismus, usually known as wandering or crossed eye. The crossing can be constant or intermittent. Newborns' eye muscles are still learning to work in unison and coordinate movements.

On the other hand, some babies are born with extra folds of skin in the inner corners of their eyes or have a wide-bridged nose which gives them a cross-eyed appearance. As they get older, they eventually grow into their nose, and the folds gradually disappear. 

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What are the symptoms of a cross-eyed baby?

Babies can be born with strabismus, or they can develop it in childhood. Usually, it is caused by a difficulty with the muscles that unintentionally move the eyes. It can run in families. Most kids who are cross-eyed are diagnosed when they are between 1 and 4 years old. Seldom, a kid might develop strabismus after age 6.

Parents should immediately see a doctor if this occurs to rule out other conditions. It's hard to predict if a baby will be diagnosed with such a condition as parents first assume it's normal. However, it'll be much harder to treat if parents leave it for long. Usually, a healthcare provider observes that the eyes are not straight. Strabismus can affect future reading skills and classroom learning, and those affected may have trouble seeing things in general.

The common symptom of strabismus is frequent squinting or blinking, particularly in bright light. This could be a major sign that the baby is experiencing double vision. Another sign is turning or tilting the head, which indicates that the baby is attempting to line up an object in their field of vision, per Healthline.

What are the causes and treatment of cross-eyes?

Strabismus is one of the most common eye conditions in kids, affecting nearly 2 to 4 percent of the population. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), 1 in 50 babies is born with this eye disorder. Cases do not resolve on their own by four months of age and need medical treatment.

Kids with this condition have a family background of strabismus, specifically having a parent or sibling with the same condition. Also, kids with neurological or brain development issues as the nerves in the eyes transmit signals to the brain to coordinate movement; thus, prematurely born babies with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and brain injuries have a more significant chance of having strabismus.

Surgery is needed for the eye muscles to tighten or loosen to align the eyes. Babies might need to wear an eye patch or receive eye drops, and recovery only takes a few days, Very Well Health says.

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