What adjustment helps correct lateral alignment in vision like EXOtropia?

In cases of exotropia, where one or both eyes drift outward, a base out prism is used to help realign the visual axis and correct the lateral misalignment. The base of the prism is positioned away from the nose, which effectively creates a divergent effect that compensates for the outward deviation of the eye. This adjustment helps in facilitating proper binocular alignment, allowing both eyes to focus on the same object, thereby improving vision and coordination between the eyes.

In contrast, other prisms such as base in, base up, or base down would either not address an outward deviation or may exacerbate the misalignment. Base in prisms would bring the line of sight closer together, which is typically utilized for conditions like esotropia (where the eyes turn inward), whereas base up and base down prisms alter the vertical alignment rather than addressing lateral alignment issues.