Squint

Labelled Diagram of the Eye

Labelled diagram of the structure of the retina

A squint is a condition of the eyes that is also known by other names including strabismus and heterotropia.


A squint is an abnormal alignment of the eyes. It can take various forms, the most common being horizontal.


Examples of forms of squint include:

  • Horizontal: Convergent Strabismus (also called Esotropia)
  • Horizontal: Divergent Strabismus (also called Exotropia)
  • Vertical: Hypertropia (an eye looks upwards)
  • Vertical: Hypotropia (an eye looks downwards)
  • Eyes twisted clockwise or anticlockwise relative to each other: Cyclotropia.


Squints can also be classified according to:

  • Abnormal alignment of eyes is the same, or very similar, wherever (in their visual field) the person is looking / gazing (concomitant), or the
  • Abnormal alignment of eyes varies depending on where (in their visual field) the person is looking / gazing (incomitant).

More about Ophthalmology:

This section includes short definitions of many diseases, disorders, and conditions of the eyes and visual system.
For definitions of other terms in this category, choose from the list to the left (but note that this is not a complete/exhaustive list).

Other related pages include

For further information see also our pages of books about ophthalmology.

The following books may also be of interest:

The Aging Eye (Harvard Medical School)
MCQ Companion to the Eye (Textbook)
The Secret of Perfect Vision: How You Can Prevent and Reverse Nearsightedness
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About(TM) Glaucoma: The Essential Treatments and Advances That Could Save Your Sight

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