Why do we tilt our head to see things?

Author: Hao Rui, deputy chief physician of Tianjin Eye Hospital

Reviewer: Zhang Wei, Chief Physician of Tianjin Eye Hospital, Head of the Strabismus and Pediatric Ophthalmology Group of the Ophthalmology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association

Why do humans have two eyes? Although one eye is enough for us to perceive the outline of the world, the existence of two eyes is by no means redundant. They provide us with precise stereoscopic vision, allowing us to accurately judge the position, direction, distance and size of objects. This complex and sophisticated visual function has been gradually formed during the process of human evolution and has brought great convenience to our lives.

The development of binocular vision is a complex process, and many factors affect the quality of binocular vision. During the visual development process, the two eyes need to be highly coordinated to form a complete stereoscopic perception. If the binocular vision system is disturbed during the critical period of development, it may cause serious vision problems such as strabismus or amblyopia. These problems not only affect appearance, but also have a profound impact on binocular vision function.

※Strabismus and head tilt - signals in visual development

Many parents often worry about their children suffering from strabismus when they take them to the hospital for treatment. After detailed inquiries, doctors found that what many parents call "strabismus" is actually just the phenomenon of children tilting their heads to the side when watching TV or distant objects. Although strabismus may indeed cause children to tilt their heads, it does not necessarily mean that the child has strabismus. Generally speaking, there are two reasons why children tilt their heads: one is to see more clearly, and the other is to get a more comfortable visual experience. The former is due to the need to improve vision, and the latter is to meet the need for binocular coordination of vision.

In order to distinguish between the two situations, the doctor needs to combine the child's medical history, vision development, and the specific characteristics of tilted head viewing, and then conduct a comprehensive assessment through a professional ophthalmological examination. Refractive error is one of the most common causes of children tilting their heads to view objects, including myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. If refractive error affects a child's daily vision, they may tilt their heads or squint to get a clearer view. Parents who wear glasses may understand this well, because when vision is blurred, people tend to unconsciously adjust their head posture in order to improve vision.

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※ Early warning and intervention of strabismus

If parents find that when their children are looking at an object, the two eyes are looking in different directions and one eye is obviously deviated, they should be alert to the possibility that their children may have strabismus. Strabismus not only affects appearance, but more importantly, it will have a significant negative impact on the development of a child's binocular vision and may cause damage to binocular vision function. Early detection and intervention of strabismus are crucial because during the critical period of visual development, if the binocular vision system is disturbed and not corrected in time, it may cause permanent visual impairment or even lead to a complete loss of stereoscopic vision.

Therefore, if parents suspect that their children have strabismus, they should take their children to a professional ophthalmic medical institution for a systematic eye examination as soon as possible. The focus of the examination is to rule out refractive errors (such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism) and other possible organic diseases, while evaluating the child's eye movements to determine whether strabismus exists and its specific type and severity. For children with strabismus, abnormal head positions such as tilted head may be compensatory postures they adopt in order to obtain better binocular vision function. This also explains why it is difficult to accurately judge strabismus based on appearance alone, and a professional ophthalmic examination must be performed to determine the specific cause.

※Treatment and rehabilitation of strabismus

There are many different treatments for strabismus, depending on the type and severity of the strabismus and the age of the child. Common treatments include glasses and surgery. Glasses are a common way to correct strabismus caused by refractive errors, especially mild strabismus caused by myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism. In most cases, surgery may be the most effective treatment. The goal of surgery is to adjust the balance of the extraocular muscles to ensure that the two eyes can align and work together properly.

Parents play a key role in the treatment of their children's strabismus. In addition to taking their children for regular examinations and treatments, parents also need to give their children enough support and encouragement in daily life to help them overcome visual impairment and gradually restore the normal function of their eyes.

Strabismus and head tilt are not simply visual problems, but important factors affecting children's overall visual development and future quality of life. As parents, paying close attention to children's eye health and promptly discovering and properly handling potential problems are essential to ensuring their healthy growth. At the same time, all sectors of society should work together to increase the importance of children's eye health, provide more support and resources for children, and help them have a bright future.

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Children's eyes are their windows to explore the world, and they are also the hope for the future of our society. Let us pay attention to children's eye health, escort their growth, and ensure that every pair of eyes can clearly see the poetry and the distance.