Psycho – social aspects of squint.

Abstract

A prospective study of thirty –five individuals with manifest squint was carried out in two tertiary institutions based in Benin City and Irrua in Edo State.
Questionnaires were used to obtain information from them regarding how they felt about having a squint, what they felt was the cause, and previous attempts at finding a solution. They were also asked about the effect of squint on their relationship with the opposite sex as well as the effect on a marriage proposal, if the prospective partner had a squint.
Many of the patients felt self conscious and embarrassed because of the squint. Several (62.9%) felt that there was prejudice against people with squint by the society and that squint is a major disability. Almost half of them (42.9%) have been called nicknames by their peers. Nonetheless, only 25% of the single respondents said that they would decline a marriage proposal from a prospective partner, as a result of squint.
The general public needs to be enlightened about the fact that squint is treatable especially when the patient presents early in childhood prior to the full maturation of the visual system.


Keywords: Squint, Psychosocial Aspects

Annals of Biomedical Science Vol. 1 (1) 2002: pp. 57-61