What is the difference between the Squint eye and Lazy eyes?

Introduction

Squint eyes and Lazy eyes are frequently confused and use the terms interchangeably.  However, they are different eye conditions that share some common symptoms and characteristics.  While squint eye is an eye condition with the issue in the alignment of the eyes, lazy eye is basically a problem with vision or eyesight. Both eye conditions are typically functional vision problems. In most cases, the two conditions also result in a problem with focusing of the eyes.   Most people often get confused with both eye conditions and find it difficult to understand the difference between squint eyes and lazy eyes. So to make things simple for our reads and for a better understanding we have listed out some differences between Squint eyes and Lazy eyes with a clear side-by-side comparison. But before getting into any further details let us understand what is a squint eye and Lazy eyes

What is Squint eye?

Medically termed as Strabismus, is an eye condition wherein the eyes are misaligned and look in a different direction.   So, in this condition, either one or both eyes point in a different direction, either up, down, in, or out. Again squint eyes can be either constant or intermittent, but in both cases it the processing of the images from each eye separately into one singular image is difficult. Such an eye condition needs immediate treatment from a squint eye specialist in Mumbai.

What is a Lazy eye?       

The lazy eye which is medically also known as Amblyopia is an eye condition with a problem in a person’s development of vision.  The eye does not achieve normal vision or acuity and is a condition that cannot be merely fixed with glasses or contact lenses. Squint eye is often the most common cause of this eye condition detected in a person. It requires immediate attention and treatment from a specialist or the best ophthalmologist in Mumbai.

Now that we know the definition of Squint eyes and Lazy eyes let us understand the difference between the two eye conditions.

Difference between Squint eye & Lazy eye

 

Squint eye

Lazy eye

Medial Term

The squint eye is medically termed as Strabismus.

Lazy eye is medically termed as Amblyopia. 

Definition

It is an eye condition wherein both the eyes are not aligned and point in a different direction.

It is an eye condition wherein either or both eyes lack the development of clear vision due to either an existing eye condition that cannot be improved with just an eyeglass alone.

Cause

Squint eye can be a condition detected when born or acquired later in life due

To an accident or other health problem. It could also be a genetically acquired eye condition.

Amblyopia or the Lazy eye develops at a very early stage in life may be during infancy and early childhood. While squint eye is one of the common causes of developing a Lazy eye, it can also be caused due to different vision/prescriptions in each eye.

Misconceptions

·         Squint eye results from weak eye muscles.

·         It cannot be treated.

·         Can happen only at an early age.

·         Surgery is the only treatment.

·         Mistake the eye condition for squint eye.

·         It cannot be treated.

·         Amblyopia can only be treated until a certain age.

·         Amblyopic eye is a bad eye but there could be other visual skills at which it is good.

Types

  • Intermittent Strabismus
  • Constant Strabismus
  • Alternating Strabismus
  • Esotropia
  • Infantile Esotropia
  • Congenital Esotropia
  • Accommodative Esotropia
  • Exotropia
  • Intermittent Exotropia
  • Hypertropia
  • Duane’s Syndrome
  • Refractive amblyopia 
  • Strabismus amblyopia 
  • Deprivation amblyopia 

 

Symptoms

The obvious symptom is a misalignment of eyes pointing in a different direction. Other symptoms include-

  •  Poor depth perception
  • Eye strain and/or pain
  • Headaches
  • Blurry or double vision
  • Eye and/or general fatigue

The detection of amblyopia with simple observation is difficult. But the symptoms include –

  • Poor depth perception
  • Difficulty catching and throwing objects
  • Clumsiness
  • Squinting or shutting an eye
  • Head turn or tilt
  • Eyestrain
  • Fatigue with near work

 

Treatment

Treatment for strabismus or squint eye may include eyeglasses, prisms, vision therapy, or eye muscle surgery. It should be detected and treated early if the treatment should be effective.

Treatment for amblyopia or the lazy eye includes a combination of prescription lenses, prisms, vision therapy, and eye patching.