A squint, known medically as strabismus, describes the situation in which one eye points straight ahead while the other turns inwards or outwards, or looks up or down. The result of this is that the brain favours the straight eye over the other eye, and the eye that is misaligned often becomes ‘lazy’.
Need answers quickly?
Our Rapid Diagnostics Centre offers fast access to advanced imaging, specialist clinics and on-site testing - helping you get clarity in days, not weeks. Plus, our 24/7 private GP service is here whenever you need urgent advice.
Our charitable purpose
As a charitable hospital, we reinvest in exceptional care, research and innovation - helping us improve healthcare for patients here and far beyond our walls.
Everything you need for your visit
Your Patient Hub brings together everything you need to prepare for your visit, understand your care and know what to expect throughout your stay.
Easy access
Call us today to book an appointment
Fast refferal
Get seen and treated within 14 days
What is it for?
Treatment to straighten the eye
Visit our Dedicated Eye Centre Website
Squint treatment consultation at The London Clinic
A lazy eye develops because the nerve pathways in the optic nerve do not form properly.
The eye needs to be used for this to happen, and in a child with a squint, one eye is ignored, so those important nerve pathways never develop. Adults who retain a squint from their childhood, or who develop a squint later in life, may be treated by surgery to straighten the eye.
Surgery for a squint
Patching or using drops can help improve the function of the lazy eye but it rarely straightens of its own accord. Squint surgery repositions the muscles around the eyeball and is done to make the eye point in the same direction as its partner.
This is a minor operation but it is usually done under a general anaesthetic. Recovery time is fast, and usually requires only an overnight stay in hospital.
Squint surgery – what is involved?
The first step is a pre-operative assessment to measure the degree of the squint and to examine how well the eye muscles work. If the eye muscles on one side are paralysed or do not function well, this can affect the results of the squint surgery. The normal checks of blood pressure and suitability for anaesthetic are also done.
Adult squint surgery can be performed with a local anaesthetic, which makes it possible to check how well the eyes are aligned before the surgery ends. It is also possible to complete the operation under a general anaesthetic but to leave an adjustable stitch in place.
The procedure for squint surgery in detail
Squint surgery usually takes only 20 minutes and consists of the following stages:
The skin around the eye is opened up slightly so that the surgeon can gain access to the muscles that hold the front of the eyeball in place.
The muscles are then either tightened by removing a small section from the eyeball surface and then attaching it in a new position further forward, or loosened by reattaching the muscle further back.
We offer Fixed Price Packages
Where possible, we’ll provide a fixed-price package for your hospital care. This covers your hospital stay, nursing, and use of our facilities, giving you a clear guide to what those costs will be.
- Pre-op assessment
- Hospital stay, nursing care and meals
- Tests, scans and physio during your stay
- Take-home medication (up to 5 days)
- Post-op follow-up appointments
- Standard equipment or prosthesis (if needed)
- Unplanned extended stay or ITU (if clinically required)
- Initial consultation and any tests done during it
- Consultant and anaesthetist fees (quoted separately)
- Physio or therapy before or after your stay
- Diagnostics before admission (unless agreed in your plan)
- Specialist medication beyond 5 days
- Ambulance transport or bespoke prosthetics
Your consultant’s fees are quoted separately and shared directly by their office after your consultation. These professional fees cover the time, expertise, and care provided by your consultant before, during, and after your treatment. See our full terms and conditions
Why choose The London Clinic?
Trusted for over 90 years, The London Clinic is an independent charitable hospital that reinvests into care, research, and support for those who can’t easily access private treatment.
The UK’s largest independent hospital
More patients choose The London Clinic than any other.
Top-rated by real patients
4.86/5 from over 1,600 reviews on Doctify and over 4.5 on Google.
Full intensive care on-site
World-class 13-bed ICU for expert support if your care becomes complex.
Investing in clinical excellence
Backed by Northwestern, we equip our teams with cutting-edge medical equipment.
0% Finance Options
We’ve teamed up with Chrysalis to offer you funding options that allow you to spread the cost of your treatment.
If you choose to pay for your treatment at The London Clinic over 12 months, you can make use of a great 0% interest option and pay nothing extra. Or you can choose to pay over two to five years at 14.9% APR.
Trustees of the London Clinic Ltd trading as The London Clinic is an Appointed Representative of Chrysalis Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The London Clinic is a credit broker, not a lender. The provider of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Chrysalis Finance Limited may not be so authorised and regulated. Cancer treatments or transplants aren’t covered by finance packages. Finance options are only available for UK patients.