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Strabismus, also called “lazy eye” or “wandering eye,” is a condition in which one or both eyes can deviate inward, outward, upward, or downward.

In children over six months of age, a fluctuating strabismus can occur. This can be normal in some cases, but it is important to have an ophthalmological examination to rule out any underlying problems.

Some children are born with strabismus, while in others it may be the result of an imbalance in the eye muscles.

Signs and symptoms of strabismus include a child who looks cross-eyed, has difficulty judging distances and picking up objects, squinting one eye to see better, or experiences dizziness.

Early diagnosis of the underlying cause is essential to prevent permanent vision loss. Treatment for strabismus can be done in several ways: by covering the stronger eye to stimulate the weaker eye, wearing glasses, using eye drops, eye muscle exercises or surgery to correct the position of the eyes.

Presbyopia is a naturally evolving process where it becomes increasingly difficult to see clearly up close as one ages.

Suddenly, reading a newspaper or a menu becomes difficult unless one holds it at arm's length — often with great difficulty and visual fatigue as a result.

The eye lens, the so-called crystalline, functions as a natural lens that makes it possible to focus and project images onto the retina. However, from the age of about 40, this lens gradually loses its suppleness and flexibility. It can no longer bulge sufficiently to focus properly on nearby objects.

The result is that the eye no longer sees nearby objects sharply and clearly. The images become blurred, because the focus falls behind the retina. This leads to increasing difficulties in seeing up close.

A person with astigmatism sees objects distorted because the light rays are only partially focused on the retina. Only part of the image is projected onto the retina. Astigmatism can occur on its own or in combination with nearsightedness (myopia) or farsightedness (hyperopia).

Astigmatism can be corrected by flattening the cornea on the most curved side and/or curving the flattest side, so that the cornea becomes perfectly round.

This condition can start in childhood or develop later in life. A simple correction is possible if it is the cause of vision problems. Some signs and symptoms of astigmatism can include headaches, eyestrain, difficulty reading, and general fatigue.

Depending on the severity, glasses or contact lenses may be needed. Refractive surgery with a laser can correct astigmatism up to 5 diopters.

Farsightedness is often characterized by an eye that is too “short”. Vision is blurrier up close than at a distance.

It is often present from an early age and can sometimes correct spontaneously as the child grows.

If it persists into adulthood, the hyperopia can be corrected by making the cornea more curved using laser treatment.

Hyperopia can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery, which shifts the projection of the image onto the retina so that vision becomes sharp.

There are several signs and symptoms including: permanent strabismus or only when the child is tired, leading to rubbing the eyes, lack of interest in school with a crooked posture when writing, the child holds books too close to the face leading to nausea after reading.

Amblyopia is characterized by decreased vision in an anatomically healthy eye that fails to send correct visual signals to the brain.

This is because the eye and brain do not work well together during early development. The eye is, as it were, “switched off” by the brain, which prefers the other, better-seeing eye.

Amblyopia is preventable or correctable in most cases, provided the underlying cause is treated before the age of six. Early detection and treatment are therefore essential for good visual development.