What is Strabismus? Is it like a squint?

Spot on! What is commonly called a squint is clinically termed strabismus, an eye misalignment. An inward and outward turn is the commonest presentation in children and adults. A vertical misalignment can also occur, resulting in a compensatory head posture as this helps to retain single vision. Visual consequences do differ for children and adults. In children, if the turn favours one eye, a drop in vision can occur resulting in a lazy eye (amblyopia). It’s more a lazy brain than a lazy eye as my mentor used to say! The critical period of vision development does occur up to age 7 so the sooner this is picked up and treated, the better.