Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex’s daughter Lady Louise Windsor is becoming more prominent in the royal spotlight as she gets older, impressing her late grandmother the Queen earlier this year with her carriage riding at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, and joining her royal family at the annual Christmas walkabout at Sandringham this year. But did you know she underwent major surgery at just 18 months old?
Lady Louise, 18, who recently started at St Andrews University, was born with a rare eye condition called esotropia, which causes a squint in one eye that turns inwards, according to the NHS. The condition affects two per cent of the population.
Speaking to the Sunday Express, Countess Sophie said: “Premature babies can often have squints because the eyes are the last thing in the baby package to really be finalized.”
At 18 months old, Lady Louise underwent surgery to correct her vision. Unfortunately, this was unsuccessful. “Her squint was quite profound when she was tiny,” said Countess Sophie. “And it takes time to correct it. You’ve got to make sure one eye doesn’t become more dominant than the other.”
Lady Louise went on to have a second procedure in 2014, when she was ten years old, and her vision was overhauled. “She’s fine now – her eyesight is perfect,” Sophie added.
The College of Optometrists in Vision Development explains: “Esotropia is one of several types of Strabismus, which is the condition of the eye turns or deviating eyes. Esotropia is the most common type of Strabismus, occurring in approximately one to two percent of the population.”
Aside from surgery, there are other treatment routes that the family could have opted for. According to the NHS, “glasses and patching” and “botox injections to prevent the eye muscle from becoming too light” can also be effective.
It adds that some squints can “improve as the child gets older”, but it’s unusual that children will grow out of it.
