My eight-month-old has a "lazy" eye. She has been referred to an eye specialist. Our pediatrician says that she will probably have to wear an eye patch or even glasses. Could you tell me which would be better and why?

Strabismus is a common condition, often present from birth, in which the child's eyes are not aligned properly. In such cases, the child often relies primarily on one eye for vision, while the brain ignores visual information from the other eye. Because visual pathways from the "ignored" eye to the brain do not develop properly, vision in that eye can become permanently poor. Poor vision caused by strabismus is referred to as "amblyopia," or "lazy eye."

Fortunately, early intervention can often restore some or all of the child's vision in the amblyopic eye. After a complete eye exam, the ophthalmologist may recommend patching the good eye to force the amblyopic eye to be used. When patching therapy is started before the child turns six or seven, the vision in the "lazy" eye can often be improved or restored.

If the child's eyes are significantly misaligned, the ophthalmologist may also recommend eyeglasses to retrain the eye muscles and help straighten the eyes. If glasses alone will not straighten the eye, then a child with strabismus may require surgery to realign the eye muscles.