What does Crossed Eyes or Lazy Eye mean?

When one eye focuses on a different spot than the other, it is called the lazy eye or a squint. Strabismus is the scientific term for eye turn, which has two variations; if the eye turns outwards away from the nose, the condition is referred to as exotropia, and inwards is called esotropia, if one of the eyes turns upwards, the condition is called hypertropia.

The squint eye condition may be constant or occasional. The misalignment of the eyes causes the person to either experience double vision, where both eyes transmit two separate images to the brain; person has trouble with depth perception, or is unable to see objects in 3D; and the person develops abnormal binocular vision. For constant eye turn, glasses with different prescription are worn, one for closer vision and the other further away. Usually, one eye will be able to see objects clearly, and with one or two dimension, where the other struggles and sees blurred objects. If this happens, the eye with the blurred vision will prevent it from developing normally, turning it into the lazy eye, or Amblyopia.

For normal vision to develop both eyes are meant to focus on the same image equally. The brain requires both signals from each eye to be identical in order to create an image. If one of the images received is blurred, or misaligned due to astigmatism or strabismus, the brain works to shut one eye’s function down, as it finds it difficult to workout depth and shape. The good eye is therefore preferred by the brain, which will use it all the time, ignoring the weak or affected one. This will cause one eye to be strong and the other to weaken as time goes on. Glasses are worn from early age, to prevent or slow the progress of the lazy eye, as it will be some time, before the brain does write off the affected eye. However, the eye causing blurred or misaligned vision will not have its vision restored to 20/20. The first step to treatment is to correct the alignment of both eyes, so they work together. Correcting blurred vision will be the second step after strabismus has been cured. Once your child has obtained their new prescription glasses to correct alignment issues, the visual acuity should be checked at home or in the office.

It is most affective to treat strabismus and amblyopia as early as possible to have the highest chances of reversing or preventing eye turn. However, we have been able to correct amblyopia and strabismus in older children and adults. Surgery is an option for treatment of severe strabismus and amblyopia, and mechanical alignment is not necessary early on. Treatment includes exercises, eye patches used to cover the good eye, forcing the affected eye to work properly, eye glasses and regular prescription changes, and other types of visual therapy which helps by exercising the muscles, works the lenses, and nerves in the eyes. Therapy to fix blurred or misalignment of the eye includes reeducating the eyes to function properly. Ebsaar Eye Surgery Center Vision Correction Solutions, founded and lead by Internationally Acclaimed eye surgeon Dr. Hani Sakla has seen many young and older patients with visual problems and pertaining to strabismus and amblyopia. With over 30 years of global experience as eye specialists, Dr. Sakla and his team, is able to offer you the best eye care in Dubai.