What is a common treatment for strabismus in a child?

Patching the normal eye is a common treatment for strabismus in children, often utilized to strengthen the weaker eye and encourage proper alignment. This approach aims to improve vision in the affected eye by forcing the child to use that eye more, which helps to enhance its visual abilities and also promotes proper visual development overall. The rationale behind this method is based on the principle of amblyopia (or "lazy eye"), where the brain may favor one eye over the other, leading to underutilization of the weaker eye. By occluding the stronger eye with a patch, the child is encouraged to use the weaker eye, allowing for better visual acuity and potentially helping to realign the eyes over time.

Other options may have contexts in which they are relevant but do not serve as primary interventions for strabismus in children. Eye drops, for instance, are often used for conditions such as allergies or to manage other eye conditions, but not specifically for strabismus. Vision therapy can be beneficial for specific visual processing issues but isn't a frontline treatment for strabismus itself. Laser surgery is typically reserved for more severe cases or specific types of strabismus that do not respond to other treatments.