What Is Monocular Exotropia – Detailed Guide

Monocular exotropia is a form of strabismus, which is an eye condition that causes your eyes to turn inwards or outward. It happens when the muscles that control eye movements don’t work together properly. When this happens, one eye turns out more than normal while the other turns in less than normal. This type of strabismus can be treated with glasses, vision therapy, and / or surgery if necessary depending on how severe it is.

What is monocular exotropia?

Monocular exotropia is a form of strabismus that affects one eye. In monocular exotropia, one eye deviates outwards (or abducts) and looks away from the other eye. This can be done voluntarily or involuntarily. As with most forms of strabismus, there isn’t one cause for monocular exotropia; rather, it can come from many different causes that affect each person differently.

Monocular Exotropia
Medical illustration showing strabismus, a condition where the eyes do not properly align with each other.

Monocular exotropia differs from binocular exotropia (also known as crossed eyes). In binocular exotropia both eyes are deviating outwardly; this type of strabismus affects both eyes equally and thus looks worse than unilateral strabismus due to its symmetry. You may be wondering why we differentiate between the two types if they actually look the same? If you were ever told that your child has “crossed” eyes or “wandering” eyes without any explanation about what these terms mean, then it’s likely that your child has unilateral monocular exotropic squint (UMES), also known as an isolated lateral deviation syndrome where only one eye is affected by an esotropic deviation while its fellow remains straight with no signs of amblyopia present at all times throughout life except perhaps during infancy when it first develops but recovers later on due to compensatory mechanisms built into our nervous system which adjust naturally over time according to need so long as proper care continues being given.”

What is the difference between monocular and binocular exotropia?

Monocular exotropia is when one eye turns outward while looking at a near object. Binocular exotropia occurs when both eyes turn outward while looking at both near and far objects. Monocular exotropia is a form of strabismus, which means an individual has an abnormal visual perception or alignment of the eyes.

Why does it matter if the shift happens in one or both eyes?

The fact that monocular exotropia is a brain problem and not an eye problem can have a lot of implications. It’s important to know if this condition is affecting just one eye or both eyes, because each case has different treatment options.

One side note: if you’ve ever heard someone use the phrase “lazy eye,” it’s important to understand that lazy eye doesn’t actually exist as an official diagnosis—and even if it did, it wouldn’t apply here. The term ‘lazy eye’ was once used to describe any condition where one of your eyes didn’t work as well as the other (or seemed less focused), but nowadays most doctors agree that there are two types of conditions that fall under this umbrella term: strabismus and amblyopia (also known as ‘lazy eye’). In order for something to be considered true strabismus, both eyes need to be affected by constant misalignment; otherwise they’re not really strabismic at all!

Can you treat an outward eye turn (exotropia) when it only happens with one eye?

The answer is yes, you can treat an outward eye turn with one eye. The goal of the treatment is to get the eyes to work together.

The treatment for monocular exotropia is usually similar to that of binocular exotropia: glasses and/or eye exercises. The most common eye exercises for this condition are palming, focusing on letters or numbers in a mirror, or using an eye patch over the non-turning eye (the “good” side). You may also be prescribed prism lenses that help turn your eyes inward.

How can you identify a lazy eye in an infant?

If you suspect your child has a lazy eye, you should have them tested by a doctor. But the reality is that not all cases of monocular exotropia are easy to spot. In fact, some cases are so subtle that even parents and teachers may not be able to identify them until years later! That’s why it’s important for parents to keep an eye out for any signs of lazy eye in their children.

  • Observe how your infant interacts with people who aren’t close family members or friends. Does your infant fixate on one side? Does he turn his head when someone speaks to him across the room?
  • Ask yourself whether any family members have had issues with their eyes in the past—and if so, which ones were affected (the right or left). This will help you determine whether your child is showing signs of a genetic predisposition toward lazy-eye symptoms such as amblyopia or strabismus

If you’re not sure whether your infant has a lazy eye, don’t panic. There are several ways to identify this condition before it becomes serious. Keep an eye on how often your infant’s eyes seem crossed or diverged, and ask your doctor about any other signs of laziness that may indicate a problem with the muscles around their eyeball(s).

Does an outward eye turn always mean there is a lazy eye too?

The answer to this question is yes and no. Monocular exotropia can be caused by a lazy eye or a misaligned eye muscle, but it can also be caused by other factors such as:

  • Nearsightedness (an inward eye turn)
  • A sunken eyeball (a bulging eyeball)
  • Birth defects of the eyeball called microphthalmia

The cause of your monocular exotropia will depend on if you have a lazy eye or misaligned eye muscles. If you do and they’re causing an outward eye turn, then they’ll need to be treated. However if they’re not causing your monocular exotropia, then we can correct it another way.

Is it possible to switch from monocular exotropia to binocular exotropia?

  • Yes, it is possible.
  • A patient who has monocular exotropia may be able to switch from monocular exotropia to binocular exotropia over time if their brain learns to ignore the misaligned eye and focus on the good eye.
  • This can happen because sometimes the brain learns to ignore one of its eyes through a process called “binocular suppression.” In other words, when you are focusing on something with both eyes open, your brain will tend to ignore one eye at least some of the time. This usually doesn’t cause noticeable problems with vision—unless there is an underlying misalignment like monocular exotropia or strabismus that makes it hard for your eyes and brain to work together efficiently in this way.

Over time, if your brain is used to ignoring the misaligned eye, it will start to ignore it in the opposite direction. This can cause you to have binocular exotropia instead of monocular exotropia.

When should you seek treatment for monocular exotropia or other vision conditions?

When should you seek treatment for monocular exotropia or other vision conditions?

Monocular exotropia is a common eye turn that can be treated at any age. However, there are certain circumstances when treatment may be more appropriate for some individuals. Below are some examples of when you should see your eye doctor about monocular exotropia or other vision problems:

  • You have a hard time seeing well enough to do what you want to do
  • You feel dizzy or unsteady because your eyes are not working together properly (binocularity)
  • Your glasses/contact lenses aren’t helping with either distance or near vision

Your eye turn is making it harder for you to read books, write notes, look at computer screens/televisions etc. You have problems with your balance and coordination because of an eye turn (binocularity) Your glasses/contact lenses aren’t helping with either distance or near vision

Monocular exotropia can be treated and there are ways to improve your vision

The good news is that monocular exotropia can be treated and there are ways to improve your vision. There are many ways to treat monocular exotropia, including:

  • Glasses
  • Contact lenses (also called hard contact lenses)
  • Surgery

You can improve your vision by using glasses, contact lenses (also called hard contact lenses) or surgery. There are many different options for treatment, including glasses, contact lenses (also called hard contacts), and surgery.

See also: Night Vision Monocular For Hunting Deer, Best Night Vision Monoculars, Monoculars For Stargazing, Monoculars For Long Distance, Best Monoculars For Hiking & Backpacking

Monocular form

Monocular exotropia is a form of strabismus that affects one eye. Strabismus is the medical term for an eye turn. Exotropia is the outward turning of the eyes, and monocular exotropia can occur in both children and adults.

Monocular exotropia is a type of strabismus that affects one eye. It’s also known as infantile esotropia or infantile exotropia or simply “one-eye turn.”

The most common cause of exotropia is a misalignment of the eyes. When one eye is turned outward, it cannot see anything to the side or behind it. This results in double vision because both eyes are seeing different objects at once.

Conclusion

Monocular exotropia is a form of strabismus that affects one eye. It can develop at any age, but it’s often seen in infants and toddlers who are learning to focus on objects at different distances from their faces. It can also be caused by other conditions like cataracts or refractive errors that affect the person’s vision. Monocular exotropia can be treated with glasses, contact lenses or surgery so that your child sees better and has less chance for developing problems later on in life.

Matthew Koch

Hi, I'm Matthew, a passionate blogger and traveler. I'm also a hard-core hiker. Hiking with friends and visiting new places is what I live for. Currently, I'm working at Gear Odds as CEO & Columnist. I would like to provide my best outdoor experience possible.