Photo of Akhona Ndlela

What it means to have a lazy eye

Have you ever heard of the term “A lazy eye?” Or are you trying to understand why you might be experiencing this condition where one eye does not completely “join in” with vision because the brain prioritises a specific eye over the other?

The below publications provide the causes and symptoms of a lazy eye:

The health-focused publication Healthline, “The medical term for lazy eye is ‘amblyopia.’ Your affected eye doesn’t necessarily look different, although it may ‘wander’ in different directions. That’s where the term ‘lazy’ comes from.”

It is also mentioned by the health publication that, usually, only one eye is impacted by the illness, but in some cases, both eyes may experience vision problems.

The distinction between a lazy eye and a crossed or twisted eye should not be overlooked. We term the condition strabismus. With strabismus, however, if your crossed eye is used significantly less than your uncrossed eye, amblyopia may result, the above health hub claims.

The Mayo Clinic explains that “Amblyopia generally develops from birth up to age 7 years. It is the leading cause of decreased vision among children.”

The publication further advises that if you observe your child’s eye wandering, take them to the doctor, because if the child has crossed eyes, infantile cataracts or other eye disorders run in the family, a vision examination is very crucial.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Amblyopia happens when something creates a difference between your child’s eyes and how they focus on the objects they look at.”

The clinic further explains that amblyopia is most frequently caused by various vision disorders or structural problems with the eyes, such as:

  • A refractive error:  A condition that causes blurry vision due to the natural shape of your eyes or their ability to concentrate namely, farsighted or nearsighted, and an oval-shaped cornea.
  • Droopy eyelids: The severity of it blocks the vision eventually
  • Cataract: A clouding of the eye’s lens.

Also see: How dangerous is holding in a sneeze?

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