[Medical Q&A] Is strabismus hereditary or acquired?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Liu Wen, deputy chief physician, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University

Strabismus can be hereditary or acquired. From a genetic point of view, if there is a history of strabismus in the family, the risk of a child developing strabismus may increase. But this does not mean that it will definitely be inherited. There are also many acquired factors. For example, if a child's eyes are not fully developed during infancy and the coordination between the two eyes is poor, strabismus may occur; some eye diseases, neurological problems or trauma may also cause strabismus; in addition, unbalanced binocular vision, long-term close-up use of the eyes, and bad eye habits may also cause strabismus.

Early detection and treatment of strabismus is very important, and regular eye examinations can help detect problems in a timely manner. For some acquired strabismus, timely intervention and treatment can effectively improve eye position problems and avoid serious vision damage and other complications.