Can exercising the eye muscles daily help to correct a lazy eye?

M.

A "lazy" eye, or amblyopia, is a condition in which one eye does not develop normal sight during early childhood -- often leading to "crossed" eyes or a "drifting" eye. This condition affects 2 percent of children, and can often be corrected with prompt treatment.

For children, a pediatric ophthalmologist should supervise the treatment of amblyopia, which may include patching of the good eye to force the weak eye to "see" more, as well as the use of eyedrops, glasses and eye-muscle surgery. Whatever the mode of treatment, it may be accompanied by special eye exercises that the child can be taught under the supervision of an ophthalmologist.

However, the situation facing adults who have amblyopia is much different. There currently are no "exercises" or other good treatments to correct "lazy" eye in adults. This is why it is so important for young children with crossed eyes to have a complete eye exam to identify and promptly treat amblyopia. Contrary to what many people have been told, children with crossed eyes usually will not outgrow the problem.