Crossed eyes, also known as strabismus, is a condition where the eyes are not properly aligned and look in different directions. It can be caused by weakened eye muscles, abnormal nerve signals, heredity, or blurred vision. Treatment options include prescription glasses, eye muscle surgery, or in the case of lazy eye, covering the good eye to force use of the weaker eye. Conjunctivitis is a common eye infection that causes redness, discharge, and mild pain and spreads easily. Proper hygiene like hand washing after eye contact and not sharing eye drops is important to prevent spread. Allergic conjunctivitis is a seasonal allergy of the outer eye caused by pollen that presents with

1. Squint or Crossed Eyes

2. Crossed Eyes/”Marukan” Defect in the alignment of eyes Right and left eyes look in different directions May be permanent or temporary Direction: inward, outward, upward or downward

3. Causes Weakened muscles Abnormal nerve impulses to the eye muscles Heredity Blurred or poor vision

4. Signs/Features Eyes not straight Face turned to one side Head tilted to one side

5. False beliefs Child may become better with age Does not affect vision Cannot be corrected Sign of good luck Heredity

6. Treatment Spectacle correction Surgery Before surgery After surgery

7. LAZY EYE Reduced vision in an anatomically normal eye Poor neurological visual development of the affected eye.

8. Causes Squint Difference in power between the two eyes Cataract Corneal opacity

9. Treatment Covering or patching the good eye to force the use of the lazy - done from a few hours to a few days Prescribing spectacles Removal of cataract Surgery, when lazy eye is accompanied by crossed eyes

10. Common Ocular Infections Conjunctivitis (Madras Eye or Pink Eye) Common infection of the outer surface of eye Redness of eyes Discharge Mild pain and discomfort

11. Spreads very fast among family members and friends Precautions to be taken are After rubbing or cleaning the eye - wash hands Should always use a clean cloth for wiping eyes

12. Eye droppers tip should NOT be pricked open with “safety pin” Should only be opened with the sharp pointer inside the bottle cap Should not share drops Once opened should not be used after a month

13. Pull the lower eyelid down Put the drops into the space between the lower eyelid and the eyeball as shown in the picture Do not let the bottle/dropper touch your eye or the area around it Instillation of one drop is enough

14. Allergic conjunctivitis An allergic disorder of the outer surface of eye Common allergen is plant pollen or any dust in the atmosphere Usually seasonal (spring when the flowers bloom)

15. Complaints Intense itching of eyes Frequent rubbing of eyes Redness Doesn’t subside with usual eye medications and needs evaluation by an eye specialist

16. Stye Swelling which occurs in the eyelids It is caused by infection Treated by Hot compress Eye ointment application Sometimes it may be caused by refractive errors (spectacle problem)

17. Myths to be avoided Pouring cow’s milk or breast milk in eye especially for children with eye infection or trauma Instilling hen’s blood in the eye for treatment Use of plant juice in the eye for curing decreased vision Will only worsen the eye problem Are of no benefit scientifically