What is intermittent exotropia?
Exotropia is a misalignment of the eyes in which one eye drifts outward. It is called intermittent exotropia when the eye only occasionally drifts outward. Under normal conditions, the eyes are straight and perfectly aligned. What might a parent notice in a child with Intermittent Exotropia? Parents may notice that when their child is tired or ill, one eye tends to turn out. It may also be noted at the dinner table, while the child is watching TV, or in any circumstance in which the child is very relaxed and looking in the distance. The children often close one eye in bright light or sun. They may also rub one eye on occasion. What are some other details about Intermittent Exotropia? It usually occurs in children who are between 1 and 10 years of age. The frequency of turning out usually increases as children grow older. Adults, as well as children, can have intermittent exotropia. One or the other eye may turn out. The eyes usually are straight for reading or near work but wander for
Many people normally have a tendency for the eyes to drift outward when their eyes are completely relaxed, such as when they are “staring off into space” while daydreaming. This outward drift, which occurs only in those moments when the eyes are not paying attention to each other, is called exophoria, and is controlled effortlessly by refocusing our visual attention. At first, the exotropia may occur rarely. Over time, it may become more frequent, even to the point of becoming constant. However, the length of time it takes for intermittent exotropia to become constant varies from a few months or years to lasting an entire lifetime without ever becoming more than an occasional nuisance.
