Some of the most common conditions children experience are lazy eyes and strabismus. These conditions can worsen vision and make learning and playing difficult.
If your child has lazy eyes, is it the same as squint?
Learn more about these conditions in the next paragraphs, including what they are, how they arise, and if they are related.
What is Lazy Eye?
Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, is a problem in the development of human vision. With this disorder, the eye cannot achieve normal vision and often cannot be stabilized with spectacles or contact lenses. According to eye doctors in Dubai, this condition is when the brain is suppressing information from one or both eyes.
How does Lazy Eye develop?
The cause of lazy eyes is the lack of connection between the eyes and the brain. The brain uses the affected eye less and less over time, and vision in that eye decreases.
Amblyopia is not just an eye problem and cannot be treated with glasses. Your child should use their weak eye to strengthen it and improve this condition.
What is Strabismus?
The disorder known as strabismus, or “squint,” occurs when the eyes do not focus in the same direction at the same time. You can look up, down, inside, outside, or with one or both eyes. This happens often in people with intermittent strabismus.
When the eyes alternately point in opposite directions, intermittent strabismus makes the brain work harder to comprehend the pictures. Because the brain is used to depending on just one eye, symptoms of chronic strabismus are typically less severe. They automatically integrate the two as they start to disregard pictures coming from the misaligned eye.
How does Strabismus occur?
The brain needs a single image to interpret information from the eye. The eye has to work together to combine the images it sees into a single image that the brain can understand. This visual ability is known as eye teaming or binocular vision.
Consult an eye specialist for vision treatment.
Is Lazy Eye the same as Squint?
Amblyopia and strabismus are not the same conditions because they affect the eye differently. Amblyopia is caused by a problem with the connection between the eye and the brain, while strabismus is a disease of the eye muscles. However, these conditions are interrelated.
Your child may have amblyopia due to different prescriptions or strabismus. A squint muscle imbalance causes the eyes to stop working together, causing the brain to ignore images from one eye. Be sure to visit the best eye doctors in Dubai for professional advice and treatment.
Amblyopia Vs. Strabismus
We have created an “at a glance” table to help you understand the main differences between amblyopia and strabismus.
| Strabismus | Amblyopia | |
| Slang Term | Crossed eyes | Lazy eye |
| Cause | Eye teaming is a serious issue with strabismus. | When only one eye’s vision is compromised, the brain cannot successfully merge the two images and “turns off” one of them. Amblyopia may develop in one eye if an image is continuously suppressed from that eye. |
| Correcting Misconceptions | Strabismus is not just “crossed eyes” | Some individuals believe amblyopia might cause blindness, however, this is untrue. |
| Symptoms | The most common symptom of strabismus is an observable eye turn. | Typical symptoms involve
Poor depth perception and difficulty catching and throwing objects |
Conclusion
Squint and amblyopia can be corrected, but early detection is important. Be sure to schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist in Dubai for your young child, especially before the age of 4, in hopes of catching potential problems early.
If you have any questions or concerns about your eyes or glasses, be sure to visit your nearest eye care clinic for professional advice and treatment.