So let’s say I’m talking to someone with a lazy eye and we’re making eye contact. They have one eye looking the other way. Where do I focus on their face so I’m not disoriented and so they can’t tell that I’m looking somewhere strange? If I’m hyperfocusing on their straight eye, can they tell?
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I always stare at people’s noses so it comes across like eye contact and it always works
It’s totally understandable to feel a bit unsure in this situation, but the best approach is to focus on their eyes naturally, just like you would when talking to anyone. Most people with a lazy eye don’t mind if you focus on the “straight” eye, but they probably appreciate it if you don’t make a big deal about it or act like you’re overly aware of it. If you just maintain a normal, friendly conversation and focus on their face as a whole, it will likely feel more natural for both of you.
Pick the “unlazy” one and stick with it
Stare directly at the lazy one…it’s only awkward if you make it awkward
Whatever you do, don’t switch between their left and right eye continuously
Bridge of their nose right between the eyes
I’ve heard to focus on the eye that doesn’t move, IE the one that’s looking at you.
I refer to this as “he has a farm in Australia”. Meaning, he has one eye here in Ireland but the other is looking to Auz.
Ideally, regardless of gender, their tits
Away.
The same way I look at anyone else: I look in their general direction
I have not once cared if people look/don’t look at my eyes, look wherever makes you comfortable, just please don’t switch between staring at both of them, it’s kinda really annoying to follow lol
Look at their nose
Keep turning your head in the direction that the lazy eye is focused on and act confused
I mean just to be clear it’s not like the other eye has just packed up and left the face completely. Just look at the eye part of the face.
I don’t you would be able to work out if you were looking at a specific eye. I mean unless you squint and make a weird face while talking to them.
Right between their eyes đź‘€
I have had amblyopia all my life, I am in my 50s. When I was younger, I would get asked ‘are you looking at me?’ a lot. No one ever says anything to me anymore and has not in years. Its not constant but its there and it even throws me off when I am looking in the mirror. Not really sure what point I am making here beyond the fact that as I got older, people somehow learned to deal with it, either its not really an issue or they talk about me when I am not around 🙂
Nose
Former nurse here — look at the stable (non-lazy) eye. I don’t reccomend looking at the nose. It will make your eyes tracking movement super obvious that you’re avoiding the lazy eye.
Looking at someone’s nose, from the recipient’s perspective, looks like you’re checking out something in their teeth or a pimple on their nose. From their perspective, it’s obvious you’re not maintaining real eye contact. It’s also too close to doing the “authority/better than you” eye pattern (where you look mainly at their forehead). Or the romance eye pattern (where you track between their eyes and mouth).
Yes, you’re looking at them, but it’s not really eye contact, and they can tell. In professional action, they intentionally don’t set their eye “contact” on a nose because it looks off to both the recipient and a third person viewer. They’ll often focus on a single eye.
When talking to someone you don’t have to spend your entire time looking at them in the face. When you do though look at the space between their eyebrows and nose.
My manager has a lazy eye, I just look at the bridge of her nose
Dunno. My 2 year old has both a squint and a lazy eye. Opposite sides. Sometimes I have zero idea where the fuck I’m meant to look. (Seeing the eyeball pros on Thursday)
Just focus on their nose or mouth to keep things natural.
one of my old teachers had one and he saw me struggling. he told me to ignore the lazy one and focus on the other one.
as a visibly disabled person we can tell when people are overthinking things and stressing themselves out and it can get uncomfortable, so my biggest piece of advice is just to chill out. if you find yourself lingering on the lazy eye a little too long just remind yourself that it’s a natural reaction. it’s not something you see often and your brain is curious. just don’t turn it into a whole thing and you’ll be fine.
I look at the “normal” eye if it appears they can see well there!
You look at the bridge of their nose so it looks like you are looking them in the eyes.
I always wondered. People with lazy eye – do they actually see in two different directions? Does it have really bad impact on their vision? Or do they just see normally? And also, is there some sort of surgery that can sort it out? I don’t want to sound ignorant, I just always wondered.
At their forehead. I dont like making eye contact anyway so (shrug)
Long ago, the elementary school principal collected all of us sixth graders (11-12 year olds) for an assembly on the first day of school. He said, “All of you, look at me. Look at my nose. Look at my nose!” (He then proceeded to tell us we were the “upperclassmen” but he wasn’t going to take any of our sh*t.)
Anyway, I look at their nose.
Right in the ey es
A friend of mine has lazy eye. He will often notice people struggling, then point to his good eye and say, “this one”. They always seem appreciative.
I think it’s more polite to fixate on the good eye, that way you’re not drawing attention to the lazy eye. You know they are painfully aware of it so I think ignoring it is the best policy.
Had this situation in high school, there was this girl with an absolutely amazing body, 5’2” right amount of boob to hurt ratio and freckle covered cheeks BUT she had this one wonky eye you could see from across the room, definitely took some concentration to ignore but seriously look right between the eyes above the nose as if they had a third eye, do this and you’re golden
The one looking at you
Ask them. My friend has a very lazy eye and she says that is the one to look at. I think it could depend on the person.
At their nose