Squint correction renews confidence and marks a new beginning
Author(s): City Air NewsPuneet, a resident of Ferozepur, with his mother. Ludhiana, October 25, 2013: Puneet, a resident of Ferozepur was born with a squint in one eye. His mother would often be in tears as her child was always looked...
cityairnews
Oct 25, 2013 12:30
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Puneet, a resident of Ferozepur, with his mother.
Ludhiana, October 25, 2013: Puneet, a resident of Ferozepur was born with a squint in one eye. His mother would often be in tears as her child was always looked upon as an abnormal child by friends and family. She had stopped going out for social gatherings with the fear that her child would be teased by other children because he was not looking straight. But the recent squint correction surgery at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana sparked a new ray of hope into their dark gloomy lives. Both the child and his parents now feel much more confident and happy following the magical rectification of his eye defect.
Though some persons with squint may have low self-esteem, squint correction is not merely a cosmetic surgery. “Squint correction is important to restore binocular vision,” says Dr Priyanka Arora, Paediatric Ophthalmologist and Squint Specialist at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital.
“There may be no major visual problem, but squint is a major cause of lazy eye or ambylopia which may lead to permanent loss of vision in one eye.” Besides, there are chances of total vision loss if the good eye is injured. Due to lack of knowledge, people often ignore the problem until the question of a marriage or technical job arises.
Also Squint is also wrongly associated with good luck. “Earlier the squint is treated, the better the results are, as eight years is the age of visual maturity after which efficiency of surgery may be reduced,” says Dr Arora.
Not all persons with squint need surgical correction, as certain squints can be corrected with eye co-ordiantion exercises or prescription of glasses. “Evaluation to detect the angle of deviation precisely is the key in squint surgery. Vision correction may be required subsequent to surgery and regular monitoring and vision testing are the norm till 18 years.
“With recent surgical advancement, squint can be corrected even in infants as young as six months.” Chances of premature babies and children born out of marriages between blood relations developing squint are relatively higher, says Dr.Arora cautioning those with family history of optical problems to stay alert.
Dr Priyanka Arora has recently joined DMCH. She has done her post-graduation in general ophthalmology (MS), followed by fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and Laser treatments for diabetic retinopathy at the esteemed Aravind eye hospital, Madurai. Following her formal training, she worked as Cosultant Pediatric Ophthalmologist at Dr. Shroff's Charity eye hospital, New Delhi.Her areas of specialization include management of pediatric eye disorders (Pediatric cataract), squint evaluation and surgery and phacoemulsification surgery for cataract She has also acquired special training for diagnosis and treatment of retinopathy of prematurity (a blinding eye disease of preterm neonates) at the Advanced Eye Centre, PGIMER, Chandigarh. www.cityairnews.com
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