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CEENTA pediatric ophthalmologist Elliot McKee, MD, appeared on WCNC's Charlotte Today on April 16th, 2024, to discuss strabismus. Learn more about this condition and treatment options for misaligned eyes at CEENTA and schedule your child's next appointment with Dr. McKee at our SouthPark or Belmont locations today.
Mia Atkins: Well we're here again at the CEENTA SouthPark office with Dr. Elliot McKee. Thank you for having me today.
Dr. Elliot McKee: Thank you.
Mia: So one eye condition that we've heard a lot about is lazy eye, can you explain a little bit more about what that is?
Dr. McKee: Lazy eye means a lot of things. It could mean a misaligned eye, a droopy eyelid, or an eye with poor vision. But a lot of times we hear that it's used for an eye that's drifting out or crossing that's noticeable to other people and can be a sign of serious vision problems in children or adults.
Mia: So who can be impacted by - this is called strabismus, right?
Dr. McKee: Strabismus is the medical term for a misaligned eye. You might notice it in a young baby or a toddler and it could be a sign of a vision problem. Or an older adult could get this problem that causes double vision and can be very socially concerning.
Mia: Right, and how can strabismus and this eye misalignment, how can that impact a child's development?
Dr. McKee: If the eyes of a child are misaligned, then the child has to choose one eye and ignore the other eye which can lead to a lifetime of vision problems. It's important to get that condition diagnosed by seeing your eye doctor.
Mia: So if parents notice maybe that their child is having this issue, what's the first step? What should they do?
Dr. McKee: You could first talk with your child's pediatrician or seek care with an ophthalmologist, a medical eye doctor that specializes in seeing children. They need a full eye exam to determine if there are problems with vision or the eye muscles, and treatment can be started right away.
Mia: And let's talk about those treatment options and if, you know, this is the path that they need to take. What are they looking at?
Dr. McKee: Children who have eye misalignment may need glasses or they may need to wear an eye patch over one eye to strengthen the vision in the other eye, and there are some children who need surgery also in order to have straight, equal eyes.
Mia: Well if they need any of these treatments, you guys are a great place for them to go. And people can go online to find more information at CEENTA.com or reach out to you guys by phone, correct?
Dr. McKee: Perfect, yep. They can schedule on our website.
Mia: Absolutely, well thank you so much for having me here and for this great information!
Dr. McKee: Thank you.
As school continues, consider these common pediatric eye conditions that could affect your child.
Strabismus can affect both children and adults, but CEENTA's team of eye care specialists have the right treatments for you.
CEENTA ophthalmologist Elliot McKee, MD, appeared on WSOC's The Daily Two on November 29, 2023, to discuss eye misalignment, strabismus, and blurry vision.
