Squint Surgery in Thailand

What is Squint Surgery?
Squint surgery is eye muscle repair surgery carried out to correct a squint in the eye, a condition otherwise known as strabismus, cross-eye or lazy-eye. In some cases, strabismus can only be effectively treated with surgery.
Squint surgery aims to eliminate double vision, improve three-dimensional vision and improve the abnormal posture of the head. Squint surgery is usually carried out on children but may be done on adults.

How is Squint Surgery carried out?

• During squint surgery the surgeon makes a fine cut in the tissue covering the eye and locates the eye muscles needing correction.
• The surgeon strengthens and weakens the muscles in the eye by removing muscle or tendon and reattaching muscle further back in the eye.
• Dissolvable stitches are used so that minor adjustments to the squint surgery can be carried out when the patient is fully awake.

Duration of procedure/surgery:
Squint surgery takes 1 to 2 hours to complete.

Days admitted:
Squint surgery usually takes place on an outpatient basis with no overnight stay.

Anesthesia:
Children, and most adults, receive a general anesthesia for squint surgery although it is possible to use local anesthesia.

Recovery:
- You will be able to go home after a few hours of recovery following squint surgery.
- Most people can return to work or normal activities 2 to 3 days after squint surgery.
- The eye may remain red or bloodshot for up to 3 weeks after squint surgery, after which the eye will look normal.

Risks:
- Temporary double vision.
- Permanent double vision (rare).
- Lost muscle, where the eye muscle recoils behind the eyeball.
- Perforation of the outer coating (sclera) of the eye.
- Retinal detachment (very rare).

After care:
- Use prescribed eye drops or ointment for a few weeks after squint surgery.
- Take pain killers for any minor discomfort.
- Avoid rubbing the eyes for the first few days after squint surgery.
- Don’t go swimming for two to three weeks following squint surgery.