In most cases, insurance will cover strabismus surgery in adults, however, one should check with their medical insurance carrier to determine coverage with their specific plan.įig. Does my insurance cover the expense of this surgery?Įye muscle surgery is reconstructive (not cosmetic). Realigning the eyes can “reconstruct” the abnormal appearance of the eyes providing a better quality of life. Surgery can be considered to decrease the dependence on prism glasses.Īlso, strabismus affects adults in emotional, social, and economical ways.

If the prism correction needed to realign the eyes is large, the resulting glasses will be heavy, uncomfortable and can cause distorted vision. Surgery can often improve the double vision, depth perception and sometimes the field of peripheral vision. Adults frequently have disabling double vision because of eye misalignment. Eye alignment surgery is performed in adults for several reasons. Is eye straightening as an adult strictly cosmetic? Sometimes, aging has caused a change in the soft tissue surrounding the eye that results in strabismus in the elderly, or there is no identifiable cause. New strabismus that develops in an adult can result from many diverse conditions including thyroid eye disease, stroke or tumors. It is always important to evaluate the cause of the misalignment which may require blood tests or imaging studies like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In cases of misalignment suddenly occurring in adulthood, patients will almost always complain of double vision. If the condition has been present since childhood, the misalignment may be suddenly noticeable, but there is usually no double vision. Why do adults get strabismus?Īdults may have misalignment either from a residual childhood strabismus or they may have new onset in adulthood. It is important consult with an eye surgeon who specializes in strabismus surgery. Most adults with misaligned eyes are able to have successful realignment with surgery. Treatment options may include prismatic glasses, specialized exercises to regain the coordination of both eyes (fusional exercises) and surgery. Adults can benefit from some of the same treatment options that are available to children for treating strabismus. Can anything be done for adults with strabismus (misaligned eyes)?

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