Squint in adults
A squint (strabismus) is when the eyes point in different directions. In adults it can cause double vision or a noticeable turn in one eye. Read more about squint in adults →
If symptoms are sudden, severe or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111.
Where are you up to?
The NHS reports waiting times by specialty, not by individual condition, so this is the ophthalmology wait (not specific to squint in adults), updated August 2026. Enter a postcode to see the hospitals near you.
ophthalmology waiting times by hospital
| Trust | Location | Typical wait |
|---|---|---|
| University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | Birmingham | 2 weeks |
| Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | Dorset | 4 weeks |
| The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust | Dudley | 5 weeks |
| Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | Reigate and Banstead | 5 weeks |
| Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust | Wiltshire | 6 weeks |
| London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust | Brent | 6 weeks |
| Airedale NHS Foundation Trust | Bradford | 6 weeks |
| Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Cheshire East | 7 weeks |
About squint in adults
A squint (strabismus) is a misalignment of the eyes, so one eye turns in, out, up or down while the other looks straight ahead. An adult may have had a squint since childhood, or develop one later. A new squint in adulthood often causes double vision because, unlike in a young child, the adult brain does not ignore the second image.
How it is treated
Treatment depends on the cause and how much it affects you. Options include glasses, prisms fitted to glasses to line up the two images, eye exercises, injections to weaken an overacting eye muscle, or an operation to adjust the eye muscles and realign the eyes. The NHS treats a squint that causes double vision or significant problems; surgery mainly to improve the appearance of a long-standing squint, with no double vision or functional problem, is treated by some NHS areas as cosmetic and may not be routinely funded, in which case correction is available privately.
After treatment
After squint surgery the eye is usually red and sore for a couple of weeks, and you may need more than one procedure to get the best alignment. Prisms and glasses can be adjusted over time. Many people see a clear improvement in alignment and, where double vision was the problem, in their sight.
Sources: NHS: Squint. Last updated October 2026.
General information only, not medical advice. Wait or Pay is independent and is not the NHS. Your GP decides what care, if any, you need.