A lazy eye is when one eye doesn’t develop like the other and can cause problems in vision. Also be referred to as amblyopia, it is usually diagnosed by the time your child starts school. The long-term effect when kids don’t learn to use two eyes is that they can lose the ability to see through the one that isn’t performing properly.
There are a number of indicators that will point towards your child having a lazy eye.
Wandering eye
When your child is looking at a particular object check to see how they focus in on it. If it appears that one eye is looking at the object while the other is slightly wandering, it is a sign of a lazy eye.
Do the eyes work together?
Normal functioning eyes will work together, but, for a child with amblyopia, their eyes will work separately. One will look at something while they other will struggle to.
Do they have clear depth perception?
Another way to determine if there is a problem, is to check your toddler’s depth perception. Put a book or a toy slightly out of their reach and get them to pick it up, without moving forward. If they do this easily there shouldn’t be an underlying problem; however, if they struggle to grab it or misjudge where it is they may have an issue with their eyes or vision.
Do they cross over?
When kids are just born, their eyes wander slightly as they have yet to develop control over them. However, after a few weeks they will gain control, so if you notice their eyes are still crossing over when they reach their toddler years an optician will need to have a look at them.
Toddlers may not notice that there is something wrong, but, thankfully, there are a number of things that can be done to help. Once you have concerns about your child’s eyes you should take them to be evaluated by an optician. Once diagnosed, your son or daughter will likely have to wear corrective glasses to help them to focus. They will then normally be given an eye patch that will cover the strong eye so that their lazy eye will be put to work and allowed to get stronger.
