Amblyopia Etiquette
July 22, 2005 12:33 PM Subscribe
amblyopia etiquette question: this comes up everytime i interact with someone who has amblyopia (aka 'lazy eye') and i hope others can offer some assistance.
i like to look people in the eyes when interacting with them, mostly because i want to show respect. obviously, then, since i want to show respect to people with amblyopiai, i have to choose which eye to look at. i always feel bad afterwords because i feel like my indecision and possibly apparent 'eye selection' makes the other person feel self conscious and 'different'. How do you deal with these situations? Does anyone with amblyopia care to offer guidance?
Hopefully I don't have to point it out but, yes, this is a serious question.
i like to look people in the eyes when interacting with them, mostly because i want to show respect. obviously, then, since i want to show respect to people with amblyopiai, i have to choose which eye to look at. i always feel bad afterwords because i feel like my indecision and possibly apparent 'eye selection' makes the other person feel self conscious and 'different'. How do you deal with these situations? Does anyone with amblyopia care to offer guidance?
Hopefully I don't have to point it out but, yes, this is a serious question.
something i would add to the previous discussion as it relates to your question: don't take it as a lack of respect when someone with a lazy eye doesn't make eye contact with you (or avoids it). that may just be their way of dealing with the self-consciousness of the condition.
posted by jimw at 1:37 PM on July 22, 2005
posted by jimw at 1:37 PM on July 22, 2005
I have strabismic amblyopia in my right eye, and when I'm fatigued or stressed, my 'lazy eye' manifests; I have to concentrate to keep both eyes looking in the same direction.
I have never had any issue with people asking me "Is there something wrong with your eye(s)?" or "Were you looking at something?"
Once, a few years ago, I was told, sharply, "Look at me when I'm speaking" when my eye wandered. That was disrespectful and I pointedly told her so. Don't do that, and you'll be fine.
posted by solid-one-love at 4:16 PM on July 22, 2005
I have never had any issue with people asking me "Is there something wrong with your eye(s)?" or "Were you looking at something?"
Once, a few years ago, I was told, sharply, "Look at me when I'm speaking" when my eye wandered. That was disrespectful and I pointedly told her so. Don't do that, and you'll be fine.
posted by solid-one-love at 4:16 PM on July 22, 2005
I had a boss, a neurologist, with this condition. He didn't seem to care if I looked at his reg'lar eye or the wandering one.
posted by ikkyu2 at 7:32 PM on July 22, 2005
posted by ikkyu2 at 7:32 PM on July 22, 2005
Just don't take it as a sign of disrespect, generally. Some cultures also tend not to make eye contact, after all -- which seems more "respectful" to me anyhow. Actually I don't think Americans have such a thing as respect, we're expected to be best buddies with our coworkers, bosses, random people on the street...
posted by dagnyscott at 7:46 AM on July 23, 2005
posted by dagnyscott at 7:46 AM on July 23, 2005
It always depends on the individual as well. A lady I used to go to church with had strabismus, and she was very touchy about it.
posted by IndigoRain at 12:16 AM on July 24, 2005
posted by IndigoRain at 12:16 AM on July 24, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:50 PM on July 22, 2005