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What It’s Like to See the World through a Lazy Eye

BEING LAZY EYED has been a blessing and a curse. It’s been my identity. My party trick. My cheap laugh and my not-so-hidden shame for all of my twenty-four years that I can remember. I’ve milked my misaligned eye for humour—my Twitter bio says, “Lazy-eyed optimist. One eye looking up, one eye looking forward”—but it has also left me angry and in tears. Asymmetrical haircuts come into and go out of fashion. Asymmetrical faces? Not so much. It often feels like it’s me against the world.

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Articles of Interest

Understanding Lazy Eye

Amblyopia rarely affects both eyes, since usually the brain relies on whichever eye projects the strongest message. This causes this eye to grow stronger. Sometimes a lazy eye is not evident without an exam. The most likely time for a child to develop this condition is between the ages of six and nine.

When Is It Too Late To Treat Lazy Eye?

While it’s best to fix amblyopia during childhood, it can also be addressed as an adult.

‘Lazy eye’ condition improved by Tetris

Popular puzzle video game Tetris may be helpful in treating adults with amblyopia, commonly known as “lazy eye”. The condition is caused by poor processing in the brain, which results in the suppression of the weaker eye by the dominant eye. The video game trains both eyes to work together, which is counter to previous treatments for the disorder, which included eye-patches. The McGill University research study provides direct evidence that alleviating suppression of the weaker eye - by forcing both eyes to cooperate - increases the level of plasticity in the brain and allows the amblopic brain to relearn.

“Lazy Eyes” Are Not Lazy

Lazy eye (amblyopia) is the most common neuro-developmental vision condition, affecting up to three percent of the population. A lazy eye develops when a disconnect between the affected eye and the brain prevents the brain from recognizing all visual input from that eye.