‖ strabismus Path.
(strəˈbɪzməs)
[mod.L., ad. Gr. στραβισµός, f. στραβίζειν to squint, f. στραβός squinting (whence L. strabus in the same sense).]
An affection of the eyes in which the axes of vision cannot be coincidently directed to the same object; squinting, a squint.
convergent strabismus or internal strabismus, a turning inward of the eyes, cross-eye; divergent strabismus or external strabismus, a turning outwards of one or both eyes.
| 1684 Blancard's Phys. Dict., Strabismus, Squinting, is occasioned by the Relaxation, Contraction, Distorsion, too great Length, or too great Shortness of the Muscles which move the Eye. 1771 Encycl. Brit. III. 155/1 A Strabismus, commonly called squinting. 1846 F. Brittan tr. Malgaigne's Man. Oper. Surg. 294 For external strabismus, a flap of the internal portion of the conjunctiva is removed. 1884 T. Bryant Pract. Surg. (ed. 4) I. 409 Convergent strabismus is the most common of all. Ibid. 412 Divergent strabismus..is often the result of myopia. |
b. fig. Perversity of intellectual perception.
| 1844 H. Rogers Ess. (1860) III. 111 His prejudices have wholly clouded his common sense, or produced an incurable strabismus of intellect. 1846 Ibid. (1874) I. iv. 198 Any one..not afflicted with polemical strabismus, would as soon affirm that [etc.]. 1881 E. Caird Ess. Lit. & Philos. (1892) I. 193 A review which supposes man to be afflicted with a kind of intellectual strabismus, so that he can never see with one of his mental eyes without shutting the other. |
c. attrib.
| 1864 Lancet 17 Dec. 689/2 The Strabismus operation made easy. 1875 Knight Dict. Mech., Strabismus-forceps, a straight or curved pinchers..for holding the muscles to be divided in correcting strabismus. 1876 T. Bryant Pract. Surg. (1884) I. 411 Strabismus hook. Strabismus scissors. |