When I was 12 years old I suddenly went blind in my left eye, after many doctor visits and tests with specialists all that could be found was optic nerve damage, but no idea on what caused this. Moreover, over the years my left eye has started to drift outward. I have no vision in this eye. Is there any procedure that would be helpful to me? Thanks,
How Can I Fix my Lazy Eye?
Doctor Answers (3)
While it is unlikely that vision can be restored to your left eye, the eye can generally be made straight through strabismus surgery. Pediatric ophthalmologists specialize in this type of surgery and treat this condition in both children and adults.
How to fix a "lazy eye" (strabismus)
You are describing a condition called "sensory exotropia". While your vision can probably not be fixed, the outward drift certainly is treatable. Most strabismus (eye misalignment) occurs in children, so the experts in this area are typically pediatric ophthalmologists.
Strabismus surgery involves moving muscles on the surface rather than the interior of the eye, so the visual risk is very low. Check to see if your surgeon recommends an "adjustable suture" technique for your particular situation.
Be sure, obviously, to take appropriate precautions with your good eye! Wear sports protection, get checked for glaucoma, etc.
Can You Correct a Lazy Eye with Cataract or LASIK Surgery?
It sounds like you mat have had an episode of what we call "optic neuritis" when you were a child, which resulted in optic atrophy and loss of vision. Unfortunately, this is a permanent condition because your optic nerve is permanently damaged. So, neither cataract surgery or LASIK would correct this condition. You might need eye muscle surgery to make your eyes straight again, and I would have no reservations having this done, but, sadly, there is no magic procedure(yet) to regenerate a damaged optic nerve.
You might also like...
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.