When I was first diagnosed with strabismus back in 2015, I began to search the internet for more information.
The NHS website was confusing and, frankly, unhelpful to me as an adult with strabismus. Firstly, it refers to strabismus as a squint – and this still goes on within the NHS – but this term ‘a squint’ (only used in English, other languages just use their translation of ‘strabismus’) does not fully express what is involved, how complex the condition can be and can even be misleading. Personally, I think the NHS should stop using the term ‘a squint’ and keep to the proper medical term ‘strabismus’. Words matter.
When you go onto the NHS website and search strabismus, the page it directs you to is the page for squint and is very focused on the treatment of children. Adults with strabismus are barely mentioned. I don’t wish to suggest that this is deliberate, but, inadvertently, the NHS website is diminishing the suffering of adult strabismus patients by failing to fully recognise that strabismus affects adults as well as children. Moreover, the psycho-social impact suffered by some adult patients can be significant and damaging to their quality of life and life chances – there is already plenty of research to support this statement.
CALL TO ACTION
The NHS squint/strabismus information page on its website is actually up for review this month (May 2026). If you can, please contact the NHS website team using the information below* and politely encourage them to fully acknowledge that adults as well as children suffer with strabismus and adults and children should be supported equally within the NHS.
In addition, if you agree, please also ask them to stop using the term ‘a squint’ when describing strabismus.
Thank you.
Lucia
*Click on the link below, or if you prefer, go onto the NHS Website and search for how to report an issue with the NHS website:
Report an issue with the NHS website – NHS
Click to report an issue with content
Refer to their webpage re: Squint and add your own comments.
Once you ask them to amend their webpage, you can submit your request and you will receive a case number. The NHS digital team will get back to you. The more we patients do this, the better for all strabismus patients.