- better than 80% cure rate!
Strabismus (the medical term for squint) is a very
obvious problem that is an endless source of embarrassment. Children with a
diverging eye are often subject name calling in school and on the playground.
With a wandering eye there is enormous psychological and emotional cost. About
2% of children are born with Strabismus or develop it before the age of two. At
present there is no known cause, or to put it simply, nobody knows why some
children develop a divergent eye.
By far the most common form of Strabismus is
esotropia (from the Greek eso, meaning in) the eye turns in towards the nose.
The eye can also turn out (exotropia), up (hypertropia) or down (hypotropia).
As soon as the eye turn past the midline of vision the brain starts suppressing
all input in order to avoid confusing double images. Physically there is nothing
wrong with the eye apart from uncoordinated muscle movements. The root of the
problem lies in the way the brain coordinates movement of the eye muscles. The
divergent eye often becomes Ambliopic, meaning that it is not possible to
correct the vision to better than 20/30 with lenses. Most children have
Comitant Strabismus. No matter where they look, the degree of deviation does
not change. With Incomitant Strabismus, the divergence depends upon the
direction of the eyes.
The preferred medical treatment for Strabismus is
surgery where one or more of the eye-muscles are either tightened or weakened.
Some doctors believe that surgery should be done before the age of 6 or it is
too late. Unfortunately, more than 80% of the children who undergo Strabismus
surgery never achieve normal three-dimensional vision. Their eyes may look
straight but they are living in a one-eyed world with no depth perception. The
optometric approach use bifocal lenses and prisms to correct for the divergence
in an attempt to force the divergent eye to be normal.
The Magic eyes vision training approach assumes that
the child’s brain is perfectly capable of controlling the eyes. So the focus is
on re-educating the brain to change the way it coordinate the child’s eyes.
Strabismus is best solved with a mind/body approach. In fact Vision training
research shows that 80% of Strabismus cases can be treated successfully with
Vision training exercises.
Leo Angart, creator of the Magic eyes program says
that it is mind bugling to thing about cutting the eye muscles of a child when
there are simple treatments available with better than 80% success rate. No
surgery, no trptional case of what appeared to be a miraculous
cure of Strabismus happened to Isabella, a 10-year-old girl with large and very
pretty eyes. She had been to many eye doctors, all of them recommending
surgery. However, Isabella’s mother did not feel right about allowing doctors
to cut in her daughter’s eyes. Hearing about Magic eyes from friends, Isabella
and her mother traveled for three hours to attend the workshop with Leo Angart.
A miracle happened, after just one exercise
Isabella’s eyes were straight. Leo Angart said that this was exceptional
usually parents need to practice the Vision training exercise with their
children for a few days. Isabella’s mother was flabbergasted; “I thought we had
to do exercises for a few months. I am so amazed. I am also thankful that I
held out against the doctors who in some cases accused me of being a bad mother
because I refused to let them cut Isabella’s eyes. This is a wonderful miracle.
From the bottom of my heart I thank you for this miracle.”
Leo asked Isabella what she would say to her doctor. Isabella
replied: “I don’t need to see any doctors!”
There is a common misconception that Strabismus is
caused by a weak eye-muscle. This is nonsense since the brain is in perfect
control of the eye. Leo Angart says; try covering the dominant eye and you will
see that it is perfectly capable of looking in any direction you want, with
perfect control. It is so important that this knowledge get out in the world.
We talk about saving whales and other animals. What about do we do about saving
children from un-necessary surgery?
Leo Angart created the Magic eyes program in response
to the enormous need for effective method to deal with not only Strabismus but
also other common vision problems like near-sight (myopia), far-sight
(hyperopia), eye-coordination, astigmatism etc. In Europe and North America the
prevalence of myopia in school children is about 20%. Vision problems in
children have reached crises proportions in many Asian countries. 78% of high
school children in Taipei are nearsighted and the situation is similar in Hong
Kong and Singapore.
Leo Angart has solid scientific evidence as well as
personal experience working with children and adults for many years. “In my
experience the normal or near normal vision can be regained. It involves some
work on your part.” Says Leo Angart. “For the best results I recommend
exercising the eye for one or two minutes at a time.” The Magic eyes program
focus not only on the child but also on empowering parents to facilitate the
change without the need of expensive visits to a clinic. The exercises are very
simple; they are safe to do at home and are designed specifically for
correcting Strabismus.
For more information about Magic eyes and Leo Angart’s workshops visit
www.vision-training.com
References
Altizer
LB. The non-surgical treatment of exotropia. Am OrthoptJ 1972;22:71-6.
Bair DR. Symposium: Intermittent exotropia, diagnosis and incidence. Am
Orthoptic J 1952;2:12-17.
Birnbaum MH. Gross motor control and postural characteristics of strabismic
patients. J Am Optom Assoc 1974;45:686-96.
Blakemore C, Van Sluyters RC. Experimental analysis of amblyopia and
strabismus. Br J Ophthalmol 1974;58:176-182.
Caloroso EE. A sequential strategy for achieving functional binocularity in
strabismus. J Am Optom Assoc 1998;59:378-87.
Caloroso EE, Rouse MW. Clinical management of strabismus. Boston:
Butterworth-Heinemann, 1993.
Chryssanthou G. Orthoptic management of intermittent exotropia. Am OrthoptJ
1974;24:69-72.
Coffey B, Wick B, Cotter S, et al. Treatment options in intermittent exotropia:
A critical appraisal. Optom Vis Sci 1992; 69(5):386-404.
Colorado Vision Consultants. Manual of esotropia therapy. Boulder: Colorado
Vision Consultants, 1985.
Cooper
EL, Leyman IA. The management of intermittent exotropia: A comparison of the
results of surgical and non-surgical treatment. Am Orthoptic J 1977;27:61-67.
Cooper J. Intermittent exotropia of the divergence excess type. J Am Optom
Assoc 1977;48:1261-1273.
Cooper J, Medow N. Major Review: Intermittent exotropia: Basic and divergence
excess type. Bin Vis Eye Muscle Surg 1993;8(3):185-216 Crone RA. Diplopia. New
York: American Elsevier Publishing, 1973.
Ciufredda KJ, Kenyon RV, Stark L. Saccadic intrusions in strabismus. Arch
Ophthalmol 1979;97:1673-9.
Dale RT. Fundamentals of ocular motility and strabismus. New York: Grune &
Stratton, 1982.
Daum KM. Equal exodeviations: Characteristics and results of treatment with
orthoptics. Aust J Optom 1984; 67(2):53-9.
Day
SH, Norcia AM. Infantile esotropia and the developing visual system. In:
Greenwald MJ, eds. Pediatric ophthalmology clinics of North America.
Philadelphia: WE Saunders, 1990;3:281-7.
Duke-Elder S, Wybar K. Ocular motility and strabismus. In: Duke-Elder S, ed.
System of ophthalmology. Vol. 6. St. Louis: Mosby, 1973.
Etting G. Strabismus therapy in private practice: Cure rates after three months
of therapy. J Am Optom Assoc 1978; 49:1367-73.
Flax N. The optometric treatment of intermittent divergent strabismus.
Proceedings from the Eastern Seaboard V.T. Conference, Washington, DC, 1963,
pp. 52-57.
Flax N, Duckman RH. Orthoptic treatment of strabismus. J Am Optom Assoc
1978;49:1353-61.
Fletcher CF, Silverman SJ. Strabismus. Part I. A summary of 1110 consecutive
cases. Am J Ophthalmol 1966;61:86-94.
Flom MC. Issues in the clinical management of binocular anomalies. In:
Rosenbloom AA, Morgan, MW; eds. Principles and practice of pediatric optometry.
Philadelphia: JB Lippincott, 1990.
Flom MC. Treatment of binocular anomalies of vision. In: Hirsch MJ, Wick RE,
eds. Vision of children. Philadelphia: Clinton, 1963:197-228.
Flax N. Strabismus diagnosis and prognosis. In: Schor C, Ciuffreda KF, eds.
Vergence eye movements: basic and clinical aspects. Boston: Butrerworths,
1983:579-95.
Flynn JT. Strabismus: A neurodevelopmental approach: Nature's experiment. New
York: Springer-Verlag, 1991.
Forrest EB. Treating infant esotropia: A case report. Am J Optom Physiol Opt
1978;55 :463-465.
Frantz KA. The importance of multiple treatment modalities in a case of
divergence excess. J Am Optom Assoc 1990; 61(6):457-62.
Garriott RS, Heyman CL, Rouse MW. Case Report: Role of optometric vision
therapy for surgically treated strabismus patients. Optom Vis Sci 1997;
74(4):179-84.
Getz
DJ. Strabismus and amblyopia. 2nd ed. Santa Ana, California: Optometric
Extension Program, 1990.
Gillan RU. An analysis of one hundred cases of strabismus treated
orthoptically. Br J Ophthalmol 1945;29:420-8.
Gnibor GP. Practical details in the orthoptic treatment of strabismus. Arch
Ophthalmol 1934;12:887-901.
Goldrich SG. Optometric therapy of divergence excess strabismus. AmJ Optom
Physiol Opt 1980;57:7-14.
Graham PA. Epidemiology of strabismus. Br J Ophthalmol 1974;58:224-31.
Greenwald I. Effective strabismus therapy. Duncan: Optometric Extension
Program, 1979.
Gillie JC, Lindsay J. Orthoptics: a discussion of binocular anomalies. London:
The Hatton Press Ltd., 1969.
Griffin JR. Binocular anomalies: procedures for vision therapy. 2nd ed.
Chicago: Professional Press, 1982.
Hoffman L, Cohen AH, Feuer G, et al. Effectiveness of optometric therapy for
strabismus in a private practice. Am J Optom Arch Am Acad Optom 1970;47:990-5.
Kertesz AE, Kertesz J. Wide-field stimulation in strabismus. AmJ Optom Physiol
Opt 1986;63:217-22.
Krumholtz I, FitzGerald DE. Outcome indicators in a strabismic sample treated
by vision therapy. J Behav Optom 1999; 10(6):143-6.
Ludlam
W. Management of infantile strabismus: research issues and standards of care. J
Optom Vis Devel 1993:24:8-14.
Ludlam WM. Orthoptic treatment of strabismus. Am J Optom Arch Am Acad Optom
1961;38:369-88.
Ludlam WM, Kleinman BI. The long range results of orthoptic treatment of
strabismus. Am J Optom Arch Am Acad Optom 1965;42:647-84.
McGraw LG. Guiding strabismus therapy. Santa Ana, California: Vision Extension,
1991.
Parks M. Oculomotility and strabismus. In: Duane TD,ed. Clinical ophthalmology.
Hagerstown, MD: Harper & Row, 1979:1.
Pickwell D. Binocular vision anomalies. London: Butterworths, 1984.
Pratt-Johnson JA, Tillson G. Management of strabimus and amblyopia: A practical
guide. New York: Thieme Medical Publishers, 1994.
Press LJ. Challenging the Adaption. In: Press LJ. Applied Concepts in Vision
Therapy. St. Louis: Mosby, 1997.
Press LJ. Topical review: strabismus. J Optom Vis Devel 1991;22:5-20.
Press LJ. Amblyopia and Strabismus. In: Press LJ, Moore BD, eds. Clinical
pediatric optometry. Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann, 1993.
Sanfilippo S, Clahane AC. The effectiveness of orthoptics alone in selected
cases of exodeviation: the immediate results and several years later. Am
OrthoptJ 1970;20:104-17.
Selenow A, Ciuffreda KJ. Vision function recovery during orthoptic therapy in
an adult esotropic amblyope. J Am Optom Assoc 1986; 57(2):132-40.
Stark
L, Ciuffreda KJ, Grisham D, Kenyon RV, Kiu J, Polse K. Accommodative
dysfacility presenting as intermittent exotropia. Ophthal Physiol Opt
1984;4:233-244
Von Noorden GK. Binocular vision and ocular motility: theory and management of
strabismus. 4th ed. St. Louis, Mosby, 1990.
Von Noorden GK. A reassessment of infantile esotropia. Am J Ophthalmol
1988;105:1-10.
Von Noorden GK, Helveston EM. Strabismus: a Decision Making Approach. St.
Louis: Mosby; 1994.
Wick B. Visual therapy for small angle esotropia. Am J Optom PhysiolOpt
1974;51:490-6.
Wick B et al. Characteristics and prevalence of exotropia in clinic
populations. Poster Program, American Academy of Optometry, Nashville, TN 1990.
Ziegler D, Huff D, Rouse MW. Success in strabismus therapy: a literature
review. J Am Optom Assoc 1982;53:979-83.

