Squint Surgery (Strabismus)
What is Strabismus?
Squint surgery, also known as strabismus surgery, corrects misalignment of the eyes (squint) by adjusting the position or tension of the extraocular muscles to improve eye alignment, depth perception, and appearance. It’s performed for both functional and cosmetic reasons. In India, strabismus surgery is conducted in ophthalmology departments at hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Medanta, and AIIMS, often at affordable costs. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and frequently asked questions (FAQs) is essential for patients in India to make informed decisions.
Why do you need Strabismus?
Strabismus surgery is indicated for:
- Misaligned eyes (strabismus):
- Esotropia: Inward deviation (crossed eyes).
- Exotropia: Outward deviation (wall-eyed).
- Hypertropia/Hypotropia: Vertical misalignment.
- Functional issues:
- Double vision (diplopia): Misalignment causes overlapping images.
- Poor depth perception: Affects 3D vision, coordination (e.g., in children).
- Amblyopia (lazy eye): If untreated in childhood, one eye may lose vision; surgery may be combined with patching.
- Cosmetic concerns:
- Visible misalignment: Impacts appearance and self-esteem.
- Associated conditions:
- Thyroid eye disease, cranial nerve palsies (e.g., 3rd, 4th, 6th nerve), or congenital strabismus.
The procedure aims to align the eyes by weakening (recession) or strengthening (resection) the extraocular muscles, improving alignment and function. It may require surgery on one or both eyes.
Why Do Strabismus Surgery Costs Vary in India?
Costs range from ₹30,000 to ₹1 lakh per eye:
- Procedure Extent: One muscle/one eye (₹30,000–₹50,000); multiple muscles/both eyes (₹50,000–₹1 lakh).
- Hospital/Location: Higher in metro cities (Apollo, Fortis); lower in government hospitals (AIIMS, ₹10,000–₹25,000; often subsidized under schemes like Ayushman Bharat).
- Surgeon’s Expertise: Experienced strabismus specialists charge more.
- Additional Costs: Anesthesia (₹5,000–₹15,000), hospital stay (₹5,000–₹10,000/day), pre-op tests (₹2,000–₹5,000), medications (₹1,000–₹3,000).
- Insurance: Covered for functional issues (e.g., diplopia, amblyopia); cosmetic cases may not be covered; confirm with your provider.
Squint Surgery (Strabismus) Procedure
- Before Surgery Evaluation:
- Diagnosis:
- Orthoptic assessment: Measures deviation (prism cover test), eye movements, and diplopia.
- Visual acuity test: Assesses vision in each eye (checks for amblyopia).
- Slit-lamp exam: Rules out other eye conditions.
- Fundus exam: Ensures retina/optic nerve health.
- Blood tests: Blood sugar, clotting profile (esp. for children under general anesthesia).
- Medications: Stop blood thinners (e.g., aspirin) 5–7 days prior if safe; antibiotic eye drops (e.g., moxifloxacin) 1 day pre-surgery.
- Consent: Risks, including under/overcorrection, are explained.
- Diagnosis:
- Surgical Techniques:
- Strabismus Surgery:
- Performed under general anesthesia (children) or local anesthesia with sedation (adults), lasting 30–90 minutes.
- A small incision is made in the conjunctiva to access the extraocular muscles.
- Muscles are adjusted:
- Recession: Muscle is detached and reattached further back to weaken its pull.
- Resection: Muscle is shortened to strengthen its pull.
- Adjustable sutures (in adults): Sutures can be fine-tuned post-surgery for optimal alignment.
- The conjunctiva is closed with dissolvable sutures.
- Surgery may involve one muscle (e.g., medial rectus for esotropia) or multiple muscles, on one or both eyes.
- Intraoperative Tools:
- Operating microscope: Enhances precision.
- Adjustable sutures: Allows post-op fine-tuning (adults).
- Muscle hooks: Isolate and manipulate muscles.
- Strabismus Surgery:
- After Surgery:
- Observation: 1 day (children under general anesthesia); same-day discharge (adults).
- Eye care: Antibiotic/steroid drops (e.g., tobramycin-dexamethasone) for 2–4 weeks; artificial tears for dryness.
- Pain management: Mild to moderate discomfort for 2–5 days; managed with acetaminophen.
- Instructions: Avoid rubbing eyes, swimming, or dusty environments for 2–4 weeks; wear sunglasses for light sensitivity.
Recovery After Strabismus Surgery
- Hospital Stay: 1 day (children); same-day discharge (adults).
- Post-Surgery Care:
- Discomfort: Mild to moderate pain, redness, or foreign body sensation for 1–2 weeks; managed with analgesics and drops.
- Vision: Double vision may persist for 1–2 weeks as brain adjusts; alignment improves in 2–4 weeks.
- Eye care: Antibiotic/steroid drops for 2–4 weeks; artificial tears for 1–2 months (dryness common).
- Activity: Avoid heavy lifting, swimming, or strenuous activity for 2–4 weeks; normal activities (e.g., reading) in 3–5 days.
- Redness: Persists for 2–4 weeks; gradually resolves.
- Children: Patching or glasses may continue for amblyopia treatment.
- Follow-Up:
- Visits at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, then 3–6 months to monitor alignment and vision.
- Orthoptic assessment: Confirms alignment at 1–3 months; adjustable sutures (if used) fine-tuned within 1–2 days.
Most resume normal activities in 1–2 weeks; full recovery takes 4–6 weeks. Success rate: 70–90% achieve good alignment after one surgery; 10–20% may need additional surgery for residual misalignment.
Risks and Complications
- Surgical Risks:
- Bleeding (1–3%): Subconjunctival hemorrhage; resolves in 1–2 weeks.
- Infection (1–2%): Conjunctival or scleral infection; treated with antibiotics, may lead to scarring.
- Scleral perforation (<0.1%): Rare; needle may pierce sclera; may need retinal repair.
- Post-Surgery:
- Under/Overcorrection (10–20%): Misalignment persists or overcorrects; may need glasses, prism lenses, or repeat surgery.
- Double vision (5–10%): Temporary, resolves in 1–2 months; persistent cases may need further treatment.
- Scar tissue (2–5%): Conjunctival scarring; may affect appearance or alignment.
- Suture granuloma (1–3%): Reaction to sutures; may need removal or steroids.
- Long-Term:
- Recurrence (5–15%): Misalignment returns over years, esp. in children; may need repeat surgery.
- Vision loss (<0.1%): Rare; due to infection or scleral perforation affecting retina.
Report severe pain, sudden vision loss, or increased redness promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What causes strabismus?
Congenital (birth defect), refractive errors, muscle imbalance, nerve palsies (e.g., 3rd, 6th nerve), thyroid eye disease, or trauma.
Can I avoid strabismus surgery?
Yes, if mild: Glasses, prism lenses, or vision therapy (esp. children); surgery is for significant misalignment, diplopia, or cosmetic concerns.
Is strabismus surgery painful?
No, performed under anesthesia; mild to moderate discomfort for 1–2 weeks, managed with medication.
How soon can I resume activities?
Light activities in 3–5 days; normal routines in 1–2 weeks; full recovery in 4–6 weeks.
Is strabismus surgery covered by insurance in India?
Yes, for functional issues (e.g., diplopia, amblyopia); cosmetic cases may not be covered; confirm with your provider.
Signs of complications?
Severe pain, sudden vision loss, or increased redness.
Will my eyes be perfectly aligned after surgery?
70–90% achieve good alignment; 10–20% may need additional surgery or therapy for residual misalignment.
Lifestyle changes post-surgery?
Avoid rubbing eyes for 2 weeks, use prescribed drops, continue amblyopia treatment (children), wear sunglasses for light sensitivity, and attend follow-ups.
Conclusion
Strabismus surgery is a safe, effective procedure to correct eye misalignment, improving function, depth perception, and appearance with a high success rate. India’s top hospitals (Apollo, Fortis, AIIMS) provide affordable, expert care, often covered by insurance for functional cases. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and FAQs helps patients approach surgery confidently. Consult a strabismus specialist for personalized guidance and optimal outcomes.
Looking for Best Hospitals for Strabismus
Note: we are not promoting any hospitals
we are not promoting any hospitals we sourced all the details from google and hospitals website, please verify and start with your surgery here we go the list includes government, budget and superspeciality hospitals accreditation bodies are the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and the Joint Commission International (JCI)
- click on your city and schedule your surgery now done in good hands.
| City | Minimum Price (₹) | Maximum Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|
Agra |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Ahmedabad |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Ajmer |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Aligarh |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Allahabad |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Amritsar |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Aurangabad |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Bangalore |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Bareilly |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Belgaum |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Bhopal |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Bhubaneswar |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Bikaner |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Chandigarh |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Chennai |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Coimbatore |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Dehradun |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Delhi |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Dhanbad |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Durgapur |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Faridabad |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Ghaziabad |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Gorakhpur |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Guntur |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Gurgaon |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Guwahati |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Gwalior |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Hyderabad |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Indore |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Jabalpur |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Jaipur |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Jalandhar |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Jamshedpur |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Jodhpur |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Kanpur |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Kochi |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Kolkata |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Kollam |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Lucknow |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Ludhiana |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Madurai |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Mangalore |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Meerut |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Moradabad |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Mumbai |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Mysore |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Nagpur |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Nashik |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Navi Mumbai |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Noida |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Patna |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Pune |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Raipur |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Rajkot |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Ranchi |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Surat |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Thane |
50,000 |
1,00,000 |
Vadodara |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Varanasi |
30,000 |
80,000 |
Visakhapatnam |
40,000 |
90,000 |
Disclaimer
This information is sourced from open platforms and is for general awareness only. Costs may vary based on individual cases. Please consult a qualified doctor for medical advice and explore options within your budget before deciding on the procedure.