Strabismus and amblyopia are both conditions in which the brain does not properly communicate with one eye causing the eye to wander. The condition is also known as misaligned eyes, wandering eye, lazy eye, or cross-eyed. While disconcerting to a parent, these conditions are easily treatable if they are detected early.
Stranbismus is a lack of coordination between the eyes. A child with stranbusmus can have one eye that looks inward, outward, or upward. This condition can be constant or intermittent.
Amblyopia is the result of stranbismus that is not treated. The lack of coordination in the eye’s causes the brain to begin to ignore the eye that wanders and will eventually affect the vision in that eye. This is amblyopia.
Treatment is actually quite simple. An ophthalmologist may recommend that a patch be worn over the good eye in order to force the bad eye to work. There are also eye drops that will intentionally blur the vision in the good eye to achieve the same result.
Most paediatricians check for eye conditions during a regular exam, but you can also check your toddler for strambismus and amblyopia at home. Using a toy to attract your child’s attention, move the toy back and forth in from of him. Have someone else place one hand over one of his eyes and watch the other eye to see if it follows the movement of the toy. Repeat with the second eye. If you notice that one eye does not seem to track the movement as well, contact your child’s doctor for a vision test.
