Does my toddler need any treatment for squint?
Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, UK
Q: My son is 10 months old and has a squint in his left eye. He is unable to concentrate on objects due to this. We showed him to an eye specialist who said he was fine and we could wait for another year to diagnose this perfectly. I want to know what is the approximate cost of surgery to remove the squint? What is the correct age to diagnose squints? Are there any medicines for the same? Which is the best place in Hyderabad to get it treated?
A:Now is the best age to diagnose and treat the child - earlier the better. Squint itself is caused by need for glasses, and causes poor vision. Any other cause of poor vision will also cause squint. As the main function of the eye is to see better one must improve the vision in the affected eye. This itself will correct squint in majority of cases. Once this objective is achieved and there is residual squint, this can be operated then. No need to wait for the child to grow but it would be safe upto the age of 6 years. The cost of surgery will vary depending on who does it and where. Hyderabad has one of the best hospitals in India: LV Prasad Eye Institute in Banjara hills.