hypertropia

deviation of the eye that the patient cannot overcome; the visual axes assume a position relative to each other different from that required by the physiological conditions. Called also squint. adj., adj strabis´mic. The various forms of strabismus are spoken of as tropias, their direction being indicated by the appropriate prefix, as cyclotropia, esotropia, exotropia, hypertropia, and hypotropia.

During the first 3 to 6 months of life, the eyes of infants tend to waver and turn either inward or outward independently of one another; this usually corrects itself. If it persists, or if the eyes are continually crossed in the same way, even if the child is less than 6 months old, it may be a sign of strabismus. Children do not outgrow strabismus. In an older child, a tendency to tilt the head when reading, or to close or rub one eye, may indicate strabismus.

Strabismus almost always appears at an early age. If not corrected, the condition may impair vision in the nonfocusing eye, as well as marring the child's appearance. In the great majority of cases the eyes can be straightened by proper medical treatment at any age, but vision of the malfunctioning eye may remain impaired. If treated early enough, preferably before 6 years, normal vision can usually be restored in the affected eye.