Lazy Eye

Symptoms

A lazy eye is a disorder which begins at a very young age. It can cause blindness in one eye if not corrected early in childhood, and is difficult to recognize because the healthy eye can compensate so well. Early symptoms of eye-muscle weakness cause one eye to become slightly crossed or misaligned, although this is not considered a problem until after the age of six months. This is known as strabismus. Other symptoms include frequent rubbing, brow knitting, shutting one eye or, later, difficulty judging distances. This latter sign will become noticeable through tripping over things or not being able to catch and throw a ball accurately.

Causes

A lazy eye occurs when a weakened muscle allows one eye to stray from focus. Normally this causes unclear vision or the doubling of images, but in young children the brain learns to compensate by only accepting the images from the healthy eye. This condition occurs slowly, over months and years, but if the strong eye is allowed to compensate, eventually the brain unlearns its ability to see with the lazy eye and that eye becomes useless.

Nutrition

Blueberries provide many nutrients, especially vitamin A, which is essential for healthy eyes. Other good food sources of vitamin A are carrots, yams, spinach, apricots, cantaloupe, mangos and whole unpasteurized, unhomogenized milk.

Nutritional Supplements

All nutrients are important for proper muscle function. B vitamins are essential for muscle and nerve function. Deficiencies of these vitamins will cause weaknesses. Calcium and magnesium are also important for the nervous system, which controls the muscles.

Daily dosages:

Vitamin B complex, 50 mg twice daily

Magnesium, 250 mg twice daily

Calcium, 500 mg twice daily

Herbal Remedies

Herbal remedies are not applicable for the treatment of this condition.

Homeopathy

An experienced homeopath can offer a more exhaustive treatment of a persistent condition to achieve lasting results.

Tissue Salts

Tissue salt remedies are not applicable for treating lazy eye.

External/Physical Therapies

A lazy eye can be greatly improved by following a regular routine of eye exercises like the ones suggested below. (For more information, see Section 11, Other Natural Healing Methods.)

Up-and-Down Eye Stretches: keep head still and do not strain. Look all the way up and then all the way down. Repeat three times.

Side-to-Side Eye Stretches: keep head still and do not strain. Look all the way left and then all the way right. Repeat three times.

Left-to-Right Diagonal Eye Stretches: keep head still and do not strain. Look all the way up and to the left and then all the way down and to the right. Repeat three times.

Right-to-Left Diagonal Eye Stretches: keep head still and do not strain. Look all the way up and to the right and then all the way down and to the left. Repeat three times.

Crossing Eyes: cross your eyes. If this is difficult, focus on an object that you bring to touch the bridge of your nose. Cover your eyes after these exercises to relax them.

Other Suggestions

To keep the eyes relaxed and functioning, provide intervals of restful darkness. Cover both eyes with cupped hands, the heel of the palms resting on the cheek-bones. Be careful not to let the palms touch the eyeballs. Close the eyes and make sure there is no tightness in the eyelids, brows or fingers. Keep the spine and back of the neck straight and be comfortable and relaxed. Do not bend the neck. Cover the eyes for at least fifteen minutes daily.