Strabismus, more commonly known as crossed-eyes, is a vision condition in which the eyes are not properly aligned with each other. For some reason, one or both eyes turn in, out, up or down.

Coordination of the eyes and their ability to work together is a learned trait that develops within a child's first six years. Failure of the eyes (or more precisely, the eye muscles) to adjust properly can lead to crossed-eyes. Crossed-eyes may also have a tendency to be hereditary.

Children under six are the ones who are most affected by crossed eyes, but it often first appears between birth and 21 months, It is estimated that 5% of all children have some type or degree of strabismus. Although rare, strabismus sometimes occurs in adults,but this usually is a result of a stroke, tumor, or other disease.

Children with crossed-eyes may initially have double vision. This occurs because both eyes are not focusing on the same object. In an attempt to avoid double vision, the brain will eventually disregard the image from the unfavored eye. In time, the ignored eye will become incapable of functioning normally and will become largely unused.

Parents of the child may be the first to notice a slight wandering of one or both eyes. A complete vision examination by an eye Specialist recommended if this occurs. The -examination can determine if strabismus is present.

Treatment for crossed-eyes can include eyeglasses, prisms, vision therapy, and in some cases, surgery. Crossed-eyes can be corrected with excellent results if detected and treated early.