Will my child outgrow an eye turn?

True strabismus isn’t outgrown — but caught early it is very treatable, and treating it protects vision in the turned eye.

Can strabismus be corrected in adults?

Yes: prism, therapy and surgical co-management all apply. Nobody is “too old to bother.”

Is an occasional drift normal?

In the first months of life, briefly, yes. Past that, or with any fixed turn, book an exam.

What causes strabismus?

Six muscles move each eye on signals from the brain, so a problem with the muscles, their nerves or the brain's control center can misalign the eyes. Risk is higher with uncorrected farsightedness (the extra focusing can turn the eyes inward), a parent or sibling with strabismus, Down syndrome or cerebral palsy. In adults, a new turn can follow a stroke or head injury, and thyroid eye disease can affect the eye muscles.

Is strabismus the same as lazy eye?

No. Strabismus is the misalignment you can see; lazy eye, or amblyopia, is reduced vision in an eye the brain has learned to ignore. An untreated turn can cause it and leave that eye's vision permanently reduced, which is why an eye turn in a child is treated early.

How is strabismus treated?

Glasses first when farsightedness drives the turn, since for some people they are all that is needed; prism lenses to reduce how much the eye must turn; vision therapy to train the eyes and brain to work together; and eye muscle surgery, co-managed with a strabismus surgeon, when needed. Adults have the same options, and caught early, strabismus can often be corrected.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Kevin Cohenmehr, OD Last reviewed October 27, 2026

Strabismus (Eye Turns): Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Two eyes, one direction — usually.

Strabismus means the eyes don’t aim at the same point: one turns in, out, up or down, constantly or only when tired. In children it can quietly cause amblyopia; in adults it brings double vision and fatigue. Alignment is treatable at every age.

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Looks like: An eye turning in or out
Child risk: Amblyopia if untreated
Adult sign: Double vision, head tilts
Tools: Glasses, prism, vision therapy

When to book an alignment evaluation

An eye that visibly drifts, even occasionally
A baby older than a few months whose eyes still cross
A child tilting the head or covering one eye to look
New double vision at any age — promptly (if it comes on suddenly, call 911)
Eye strain and fatigue with reading that drops don’t explain

Children vs. adults

A child’s brain suppresses the turned eye (risking amblyopia); an adult’s can’t, so the world doubles. Same misalignment, different urgency — both treatable.

Vision therapy →

Treatment

Straighten the system, not just the eye.

The right glasses first: some turns, especially inward ones in young children, straighten with correction alone
Prism lenses to merge double images and relieve strain
Vision therapy to train coordination and fusion, including Dr. Kevin Cohenmehr’s work with children with special needs
Co-management with strabismus surgeons when muscle surgery is the right tool, with pre- and post-op care here

Sudden new double vision in an adult can be a sign of a stroke: call 911.

Linked

Alignment problems travel with vision problems.

Pediatric exams

Common questions

Strabismus, answered.

Anything else, call the office at 310-828-2010.

True strabismus isn’t outgrown — but caught early it is very treatable, and treating it protects vision in the turned eye.
Yes: prism, therapy and surgical co-management all apply. Nobody is “too old to bother.”
In the first months of life, briefly, yes. Past that, or with any fixed turn, book an exam.
Six muscles move each eye on signals from the brain, so a problem with the muscles, their nerves or the brain's control center can misalign the eyes. Risk is higher with uncorrected farsightedness (the extra focusing can turn the eyes inward), a parent or sibling with strabismus, Down syndrome or cerebral palsy. In adults, a new turn can follow a stroke or head injury, and thyroid eye disease can affect the eye muscles.
No. Strabismus is the misalignment you can see; lazy eye, or amblyopia, is reduced vision in an eye the brain has learned to ignore. An untreated turn can cause it and leave that eye's vision permanently reduced, which is why an eye turn in a child is treated early.
Glasses first when farsightedness drives the turn, since for some people they are all that is needed; prism lenses to reduce how much the eye must turn; vision therapy to train the eyes and brain to work together; and eye muscle surgery, co-managed with a strabismus surgeon, when needed. Adults have the same options, and caught early, strabismus can often be corrected.

Also consider

Next step

Get both eyes on the same page.

Book an alignment evaluation with a Los Angeles eye doctor for your child — or yourself.

Book Today Or call 310-828-2010