Do I have a lazy eye?

Question

My left eye looks smaller, feels strained and red, and looks higher than my right eye. I also can't see as good in the left eye so it feels like i don't use it as much as the other eye. Is this a lazy eye?

Answer 1

Doesnt sound like "lazy eye" or amblyopia to me. Regardless, don't see an optometrist, see an ophthalmologist. An optometrist is good for glasses or contacts but for real medical problems, you need a real medical doctor.

Answer 2

It sounds to me as if it might be. Is the vision out of your left eye correctable by glasses? If no, I am almost positive you have a lazy eye (known as amblyopia). The fact that your eye is strained, smaller, and red though does not give you a eye lazy. Amblyopia is a problem with your brain, so what your eye looks like is irrelevant. This link explains the condition very well: http://www.lazyeye.org/

Also, when you have a lazy eye, you see mostly out of one eye. Try this test and see what your results are: http://www.vision3d.com/frame.html If you can't do it, You probably have a lazy eye.

Whatever your results or suspicions are, I would see an eye doctor anyways.

I hope all goes well!

Answer 3

Have you seen Juno?

Perhaps you have a "stink" eye!

Answer 4

It does sound possible that you have a lazy eye or eye turn.  If your eye is feeling strained and you don't see well with it, you should definitely go see an optometrist.  If an eye turn is left uncorrected, the vision in that eye can become blurry and uncorrectable.  You may also just have very different vision in each eye or possibly a problem with one of your eye muscles.  It doesn't sound like an emergency to me, but I would definitely see an eye doctor soon.

Lazy eye and amblyopia are not quite the same thing.  "Lazy eye" like "eye turn" is just a common term that means different things to different people, usually describing when a person's eye turns in a different direction some or all of the time.  It can include an eye turning up or down.  Amblyopia is uncorrectable reduced visual acuity not due to a pathological cause.  A constant eye turn can lead to ambylopia if uncorrected because the eye does not get correct visual stimulation, meaning it is not working with your brain to tell you what you are looking at.  If you are using your left eye at all, you will not develop amblyopia because your eye is getting visual stimulation some of the time.

Optometrists are very qualified to diagnose and in most cases treat eye turns and amblyopia.  If one of your eye muscles is involved and requires surgery, an ophthalmologist will be required.  I'd suggest making a trip to your optometrist.  If you do need correction, it will most likely be glasses.