How to Spot Your Child has a Lazy Eye
July 14th, 2011 | 
Author: by Tim Harwood
As parents, the health and welfare of our children are of the utmost importance, and this article will offer some advice as to the best ways to tell if your child has a lazy eye. The single most important thing you can do is to not be the one trying to detect if your child has a lazy eye in the first place!
This should be left to skills and experience of an Optometrist, and you should consider getting your child’s eyes tested from as young as 2 years old. The earlier a lazy eye is detected the better the prognosis for treating it. Children’s eyes continue to develop up to the age of about 8 years old but the most critical period of visual development is between birth and the age of 4. Once your child is over the age of 8 is it impossible to treat a lazy eye and you can therefore understand the importance of picking it up early.
There are, however, certain signs that you can look out for that may indicate your child has a lazy eye. If you suspect your child has any of these signs, you should make an appointment with an Optometrist as soon as possible. The following are things you should look out for:
- Poor Coordination: This will manifest in different ways depending on the age of your child but the classic example would be with difficulty with catching a ball. You can see how difficult it is for yourself by attempting to catch a ball with one of your eyes closed.
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Struggling with Reading/School Work: If your child has a lazy eye then they are effectively reading with just one eye, which could hold them back in the classroom. This may manifest as your child being slower at reading or they may complain of headaches after prolonged close work.
- A Turn in Your Child’s Eye: If you notice your child’s eye turn, then they are almost certain to have lazy eye. The likelihood is that your child’s eye will turn in towards their nose. This will need to be seen as soon as possible by your Optometrist and may require surgery although this is not always the case.
- Closing Their Lazy Eye: Some children will close their weaker / lazy eye when they are reading/watching TV as it helps them focus better.
- Inability to See 3D: In order to see in 3D both of our eyes have to be equally strong and working together, which is not the case if you have a lazy eye. If your child struggles to see in 3D whether this is watching a 3D movie or playing a 3D game then you should take your child to the Optometrist.
In summary, ensuring your child has regular eye tests is the best way to prevent a lazy eye from developing, but this article has given you the most likely signs to look out for. Providing a lazy eye is picked up early enough there is every chance that it can be treated giving your child equally strong eyes.
Tim Harwood is our guest writer from the UK who writes on a whole range of topics from eye conditions to cosmetic surgery. He also writes for his own website TreatmentSaver which specialises in comparing prices ranging from Botox prices to dermal fillers cost.
Posted in Elementary