How to Fix a Lazy Eye: 4 One-Of-A-Kind Ways To Deal With It!

Throughout your life, you might have come across people whose eyes don’t sit well with each other. One eye might work differently than the other, and it’s evident. It’s called a lazy eye, and despite being a common occurrence, people who are suffering from it get a lot of judgment from society. Lazy eyes are considered to be “weird”, and you will see a lot of people getting bullied for it. However, depending on the severity of your lazy eye, there are ways to fix it. So, let’s take a look at how to fix a lazy eye. But before that, let’s look at what a lazy eye actually is to be properly aware of it.

What is a Lazy Eye?

Amblyopia or as it is called in layman’s terms; A lazy eye, is a type of abnormality in vision that develops during the developmental years in a child. A lazy eye is quite easy to spot and is pretty visible. The child will have eyes that do not work in sync. One eye can’t follow the other, and it will constantly wander inwards or outwards without any motion pattern.

Having a lazy eye is typically because of a nerve problem. Our brain sends signals via our nerves to every part of the body so that it can function. The signal from the brain to the eye is a bit delayed/disrupted compared to the eye which works normally. Hence, one eye works perfectly, and the other lags. Lazy eyes can be fixed at home, but it solely depends on the severity of the situation. Sometimes, surgery is required.

But the most important thing is to treat people with a lazy with the utmost kindness and compassion. Since lazy eyes show up in childhood, children suffering from that face a lot of bullying and alienation. It’s important to remember to be kind and think about everyone’s feelings.

Having said this, let’s get into some ways how to fix a lazy eye.

How To Fix A Lazy Eye Easily Using Simple Steps?

So, how can you fix it? Well, there are several ways.

1. Corrective Eyewear

Corrective Eyewear can be a great way to train your eye. Since a lazy eye is caused by a difference in vision in both eyes, corrective eyewear can get rid of that difference and help both eyes see equally.

Corrective Eyewear comes in two forms; glasses and lenses. Glasses are an all-time commitment and it’s practical. Meanwhile, you can’t wear lenses for a long time as they get uncomfortable after some time. So, as advice, we’d say go with the glasses.

Glasses or lenses, whichever you choose will not cost you a lot. If your insurance covers the cost, then that’s amazing.

2. Exercise

Exercising your eye is a great way to train the muscles around your eye to act a certain way. There’s nothing that can’t be made better with exercise, and you can certainly take care of your lazy eye problems with some particular exercises.

• Pencil Pushup Treatment (PPT)

The first exercise that you can do only requires a pencil. The treatment is called PPT ( Pencil Pushup Treatment), and it’s an effective and easy exercise recommended by doctors worldwide. All you need to do is take a pencil and bring it close to your nose gradually. You need to keep both of your eyes focused on the pencil as it moves towards your nose gradually. Then, slowly bring it away from your nose. Keep repeating the exercise a few times every day. You will see a visible change. This exercise works best with children.

• Blindfolding & Coloring Images

The other exercise is a creative exercise which is a bit more challenging than the PPT. For this exercise, you need a children’s coloring book, some colored pencils, and a blindfold. Cover your child’s dominant eye with the blindfold. Then ask them to color, keeping in mind that no color should be out of the line. Start with some easy images, and based on your child’s performance, start raising the level of difficulty gradually. Remember to be patient and supportive throughout.

• Video Games

Another child-friendly exercise is video games. You might think that video games are bad for the eyes, but they are great for practicing cognitive control. Video games with glasses have shown much potential in training lazy eyes to act better. So, let your child spend some time with their favorite game. It might be helping them in a way.

• Reading Bedtime Stories

Lastly, reading at least a few pages a day can train the eye effectively. Reading has a calming effect on the mind and can train the eye to sync properly while doing a task that requires both eyes. So, instead of reading your child a bedtime story, let them read themselves a bedtime story.

Remember to keep things light with these exercises and not put undue pressure which can regress growth.

3. Surgery

Surgery is always an option. However, you need to consider the severity and risk factor before you rush into surgery. If you have tried all there is to try, and the exercises do not work anymore, then sadly surgery might be your last option. However, surgery has its pros and cons.

If you don’t have insurance, surgery of the eye can be costly as it is a delicate procedure. It is definitely an investment that you need to think about. The pros are that surgery can instantly reduce your lazy eye problem and even make the eye look cosmetically normal. It fixed the outer appearance of the eye as well. So, it will be like you never had a lazy eye in the first place.

Most people generally go for surgery, as it is a swift process for an easier life. But please consult a professional before making a decision like this.

4. Eyepatch/Eyedrops

Lastly, eyedrops or eyepatches can help to a certain extent. Surely, they are not as effective as surgery or eye training. But they are great for providing relief to the eye. Eyedrops are available in any medical shop, and you use them to train the lazy eye. Put some drops in your dominant eye, and the lazy eye will work overtime to make up for the lack of vision in the dominant eye.

Conclusive Insights

So, we have come to the end of this blog. I hope that all of the tips that we have mentioned are useful to you. Remember that there is nothing wrong with having a lazy eye, and there is nothing that you need to fix in yourself to be accepted. So, if you got what you were looking for in this blog, we were happy to help.

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Qs Section)

1. How to fix a lazy eye at home?

A lazy eye can be fixed at home. You can do the exercises that we have mentioned above. You don’t need professional tools or the help of a professional to do that.

2. When is it too late to treat a lazy eye?

A lazy eye usually shows up a few years after birth. By the time the child is 5-7 years old, the lazy eye will be pretty prominent. Waiting for the developmental age to pass before you think about treating the lazy eye is a pretty big mistake. Try taking care of the problem early on, before it settles in and becomes a part of life.

3. How to fix lazy eye in adults?

As we said before, lazy eye is best-taken care of at an early age. However, as an adult, your best option will be for surgery, as it is cost-effective for this condition at a later age, and has assured results.