When Aubrey was five, her eyes began to turn inward. What followed was a journey of eye patches, doctor's appointments, and eventually surgery. This site was built a dozen years later by Aubrey herself for every child and family just beginning their journey.
Esotropia is a form of strabismus (misaligned eyes) where one or both eyes turn inward toward the nose. It is one of the most common eye conditions in children, and it is treatable.
Esotropia can result from problems with the eye muscles, issues in the part of the brain that controls eye alignment, or farsightedness that pulls the eyes inward. In many cases, the exact cause isn't identifiable — it simply develops in early childhood.
Infantile esotropia appears before 6 months of age. Accommodative esotropia appears later (ages 2–4) and is often related to farsightedness. When the child focuses hard to see clearly, the eyes turn inward as a side effect. Both are treatable.
Many children with esotropia have good visual acuity — their eyesight itself is fine. The primary concerns are depth perception (the brain may suppress input from the turned eye) and the confidence impact of visible misalignment. Both are real and valid concerns.
Esotropia can affect one eye (monocular) or alternate between both eyes (alternating, or bilateral). Aubrey had bilateral esotropia — both eyes turning inward. Each type has slightly different treatment considerations and prognosis.
If you notice your child's eyes crossing or turning at any age — even intermittently — see a pediatric ophthalmologist promptly. Early diagnosis dramatically improves outcomes. A regular optometrist can begin the referral, but a pediatric ophthalmologist should confirm and manage treatment.
Treatment timelines vary widely. Some children respond to glasses alone within months. Others — like Aubrey — progress through multiple treatment phases over several years before surgical correction. There is rarely a quick fix, and that is okay. Progress is progress.
Treatment depends on the type and severity of esotropia, the child's age, and whether amblyopia (lazy eye) is also present. Most children go through more than one phase of treatment.
For accommodative esotropia, glasses correct the farsightedness that causes the eyes to cross when focusing. In some cases, glasses alone bring the eyes into alignment within weeks to months. This was Aubrey's first step.
Patching covers the stronger eye for prescribed periods each day, forcing the weaker eye to work harder and build strength. It requires consistency and patience — and a lot of creativity to keep young children compliant.
Structured exercises train the brain and eyes to work together. This can help with binocular vision and depth perception alongside other treatments, often conducted by a behavioral optometrist.
Eye muscle surgery adjusts the tension on the muscles that control eye movement, allowing the eyes to align properly. For bilateral esotropia, both eyes are typically operated on. Surgery has a high success rate and is performed under general anesthesia — usually outpatient, with recovery of a few days.
Treatment takes time. Some days the patch comes off five minutes after you put it on. Some days your child cries through vision therapy. These are normal. Progress is rarely linear, and setbacks do not mean failure.
You are advocating for your child's future. That matters more than any single appointment.
These are the questions Aubrey's family had — and couldn't find clear answers to. Organized here, in plain language.
Not all eye doctors are the same. Here is how to find a physician with the right training for your child's condition.
Ask for a referral to a pediatric ophthalmologist specifically — not a general ophthalmologist. Your pediatrician can often connect you with specialists in your area who accept your insurance.
The American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) maintains a searchable directory of board-certified specialists at aapos.org. Filter by state and specialty.
If surgery is on the table, ask how many eye muscle surgeries the physician has performed and how they define success. An experienced surgeon will answer this directly and confidently.
When Aubrey was five years old, her parents noticed her eyes beginning to turn inward — bilateral esotropia. What followed were years of eye patches, optometrist visits, specialist appointments, and ultimately surgery that corrected her alignment.
She is a junior in high school now. And she wants to be a pediatric ophthalmologist.
This site began as a project — a resource she wished her family had when she was little. It became something more: a purpose. The experience of being a patient shaped who she wants to be as a physician. She understands what it is like to sit in that waiting room. She knows what the diagnosis feels like from the other side of the desk.
"I promise to give the gift that was given to me. Yes, improved vision—but also a renewed confidence in how the world sees you and how you see yourself."
Artwork placeholders are ready for Aubrey's scanned original drawings. Replace the placeholder divs above with img tags pointing to your scanned files.
Every family's journey is different. This is ours — shared in the hope that it helps someone else feel less alone in theirs.
A fuller version of our family's story is coming. We are working on a longer piece that covers the timeline of Aubrey's treatment from first diagnosis through surgery, including what we wish we had known at each stage.
Eye patches are more fun when you get to pick which one. These coloring pages are designed for kids going through treatment — something to look forward to, not just endure.