Could high altitude affect esotropia?
MAR 10, 2014
Question:
My 19-year-old daughter's right eye is wandering towards her nose. It has gotten worse since she's been in college in Colorado. Could the high altitude have anything to do with this? She is scheduled for an MRI next week to see why this eye has started to wander. What else could this be from?
Answer:
The altitude is not an issue with respect to the strabismus and I hope she is enjoying college. As for the cause of the inward wandering eye which we call esotropia, if there is a history of strabismus then there is no worry about something serious. Some patients with childhood-onset strabismus lose control of their alignment as they age. Others who are farsighted and stopped wearing glasses in high school might benefit by resuming glasses or contact lenses. If this condition is new, then an MRI is reasonable along with a complete medical evaluation to search for the cause.