Eyelid Spasm

Ask an Eye M.D. Answer Archive

Question:
I am 56 years old. Can crossing of the eyes be due to extreme fatigue? I'm having trouble keeping my eyes straight and focused.

Answer:
The eye muscles must diverge the eyes when looking into the distance and converge them when looking at near.  There are many reasons that the eyes may not do this well.  A childhood strabismus that was not noticed in childhood can become manifest as someone ages.  If you do not have the appropriate optical correction you may be straining your accommodation which can cause these symptoms.  Also aging can cause both insufficiency of convergence or divergence and these symptoms can be aggravated by fatigue.  Lastly various neurological problems can cause problems with keeping the eyes straight.  A complete evaluation by an Eye M.D. is warranted if your symptoms are disturbing and especially if you are having double vision. 

Answered by: Gary Hirshfield, MD

Categories: Eye Conditions; General Eye Health

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