Crossed Eyes

Babies always give their parents something to new to worry about. And most parents get very worried when they notice that their babies’ eyes appear to be crossed. In most cases it is just extra folds of skin at the inner corners of the eyes that make the babies look cross-eyed. As baby grows, the folds retract and the eyes begin to seem more evenly matched. But for extra reassurance, it is a good idea to mention your concern at baby’s next check up.

During the early months, your baby’s eyes may also not work in perfect unison all the time. These random eye movements just mean that your little one is still learning to use his eyes and strengthening his eye muscles. When your baby is about three months coordination should be much improved. If it isn’t , talk to his doctor about the problem. If there is a possibility of true crossed eyes ( like strabismus, when the baby uses only one eye to focus on what he is looking at, and the other seems aimed anywhere), you should have a consultation with a pediatric ophthalmologist. Early treatment is very important, because ignoring crossed eyes could lead to “lazy” eye (amblyopia – in which the eye that isn’t being used becomes lazy and weaker from disuse). So much that a child learns he learns through his eyes.