Lazy Eye vs. Wandering Eye: What's the Difference in Your Child?

“Lazy eye” and “wandering eye” sound similar, but these two fairly common childhood vision disorders are very different. 

Both issues affect the way your eyes work as a pair, but the way these conditions happen and how they’re treated vary significantly. Understanding these differences is essential for knowing when to seek professional evaluation and treatment.

Unfortunately, vision problems in kids aren’t always obvious. That’s because many kids don’t know there’s a problem, especially if they’ve been dealing with the issue for as long as they can remember. 

Other kids find ways to naturally adapt, which means problems can potentially go undetected for years. As a parent, you can play a role in ensuring your child gets the care they need as early as possible.

At ABC Children's Eye Specialists, our team understands the role parents play in helping their kids enjoy healthy eyes and clear vision during childhood. 

In this post, we help you learn more about lazy eye and wandering eye and what you can do to help your child manage these common childhood conditions.

Understanding "lazy eye”

Medically known as amblyopia, so-called lazy eye happens when one eye is stronger than the other. For some reason, communication between that eye and the brain is weaker, meaning the brain favors the stronger eye.

Amblyopia can happen for different reasons. Some children have vastly different prescriptions in both eyes, while others may develop amblyopia because of a cataract or other condition that interferes with clear vision in the weaker eye. 

Many parents associate amblyopia with an eye that turns in or looks crossed, but many kids have the condition without any noticeable change in eye position. 

Because the stronger eye compensates so effectively, you might not even realize there’s a problem until an eye exam identifies a vision issue.

Without treatment, the brain continues to favor the stronger eye, making the problem more complex to correct. Childhood eye exams are the best way to catch amblyopia early.

“Wandering eye” basics

Wandering eye is the nickname for strabismus, a condition that happens when your eyes don’t align properly. 

One eye focuses normally while the affected eye may drift inward, outward, upward, or downward. This misalignment can be constant or occur only occasionally, such as when your child is tired or has been focusing for a long time.

Some kids are born with strabismus, while others develop it later on. While drifting typically makes strabismus easier to spot compared to amblyopia, your child might have other signs, such as: 

• Tilting their head 
• Closing one eye to see better 
• Squinting to help compensate for the alignment problem

Because your child’s eyes don’t line up correctly, they may have problems with depth perception. Over time, the brain may begin ignoring input from the misaligned eye, eventually leading to amblyopia.

Treating amblyopia and strabismus

Both amblyopia and strabismus benefit from early medical attention, with treatment depending on which condition is affecting your child and the type and severity of symptoms.

Amblyopia treatment

Amblyopia treatment primarily focuses on strengthening the weaker eye and supporting better communication between that eye and the brain. 

Eye patching, special eyeglasses or contact lenses, and medicated eye drops help balance out vision signals between both eyes to improve visual development and long-term vision.

Strabismus treatment

Treatment for strabismus focuses on correcting eye alignment. Depending on the severity of your child’s symptoms and the underlying cause of the misalignment, treatment may include special glasses, vision therapy, prism lenses, or eye muscle surgery. 

Protecting your child’s vision

Amblyopia and strabismus both can cause serious, long-term issues in your child’s ability to see, learn, and interact. Fortunately, both can be corrected with early intervention. 

Childhood is a time of rapid visual development, which is why early intervention is so critical. If you suspect your child may have amblyopia or strabismus, or if you simply want them screened for these and other vision disorders, a comprehensive eye exam is the first step. 

To schedule an exam for your child, call our offices to request an appointment with the team at ABC Children’s Eye Specialists in  Phoenix, Avondale, Sun City, Gilbert, and Mesa, Arizona, today.