Eye muscle repair is surgery to correct eye muscle problems that cause crossed (misaligned) eyes. The medical term for crossed eyes is strabismus.

Repair of cross-eye; Resection and recession; Strabismus repair; Extraocular muscle surgery

The goal of this surgery is to allow the eye muscles to be in proper position and help the eyes move correctly.

Eye muscle surgery is usually done on children, but adults who have similar eye problems may also have it done. Children will usually receive general anesthesia for the procedure. They will be asleep and will not feel pain.

Depending on the problem, one or both eyes may have surgery.

After the anesthesia has taken effect, the eye surgeon makes a small surgical cut in the clear tissue covering the white of the eye. This tissue is called the conjunctiva. Then the surgeon will locate one or more of the eye muscles that needs surgery. Sometimes the surgery strengthens the muscle, and sometimes it weakens it.

• To strengthen a muscle, a section of the muscle or tendon may be removed to make it shorter. This step in the surgery is called a resection.
• To weaken a muscle, it is reattached at a point farther toward the back of the eye. This step is called a recession.

The surgery for adults is similar. Most adults are usually awake and sleepy, but pain free. Numbing medicine injected around the eye blocks the pain.

Often in adult surgery, an adjustable suture is used on the weakened muscle. Minor corrections can be made later that day or the next day, when the patient is fully awake. This technique usually has a very good outcome.

Strabismus is a disorder in which the two eyes do not line up in the same direction and therefore do not look at the same object at the same time. The condition is more commonly known as "crossed eyes."

Surgery may be recommended when strabismus does not improve with glasses or eye exercises.

Images

Walleyes

Before and after strabismus repair

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Eye muscle repair Risks

Review Date: 08/09/2010
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, Unviersity of Washington, School of Medicine; and Franklin W. Lusby, MD, Ophthalmologist, Lusby Vision Institute, La Jolla, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)