Here is a recent comment by a reader from Australia on the College of Optometrists in Vision Development blog that nicely illustrates the risks, problems and in inadequacies of strabismus surgery:
I’m from Coogee Beach which is a seaside suburb of Sydney, Australia.
I am the father of Terry who has had two operations in his right eye to correct a squint. When those two operations failed, an unsuccessful operation on the good left eye to try to get binocular vision also failed. The surgeon proposed a 4th operation to which my wife and I hesitated. Terry still tilts his head to one side to avoid double vision since his eyes work separately. He failed the 3D vision test.
Somehow I found the COVD blog and receive regular emails alerting me to new content. The blog has allowed me to consult with doctors who are members of it who have led me to a specialist vision optometrist at Maroubra Junction in Sydney very near to my home. Terry has been having regular vision therapy devised by Dr Liz Jackson and she has measured improvements from this therapy.I still follow the blog because of the interesting guest articles and because, from it, I found out about Dr Sue Barry who regained 3D vision in adulthood. So that gives me hope for Terry’s vision therapy being successful. The COVD blog has also alerted me to research which indicates that vision problems in young children is grossly overlooked (pardon the pun). As a result, we’ve had our youngest son Julian screened – so far so good but we will check his vision annually. Please keep this blog going for parents and practitioners for the good of patients like my son Terry!
For more informaiton on strabismus, treatment for strabismus and vision therapy for strabismus, visit www.strabismus.ca.
