Your eyes perform an amazing balancing act every waking moment. They move together in perfect harmony to give you one clear, three-dimensional view of the world around you.
At West Coast Optical in Surrey, we see this teamwork in action every day. Whether you’re reading, driving, or watching something in motion, your eyes rely on a group of 12 tiny muscles—6 in each eye— constantly guided by your brain.
When these muscles are in sync, your vision feels effortless. But if they fall out of alignment, even slightly, it can lead to double vision, eye strain, or fatigue. That’s why regular comprehensive eye exams are so important, they help ensure your eyes continue working together comfortably.
How Your Eyes Work as a Team
The 6 Muscles That Keep Your Eyes in Sync
Each eye has six small muscles on its surface. These muscles receive tiny, rapid signals from your brain to move your eyes up, down, side to side, and even in gentle rotation.
When the 12 muscles work together perfectly, your brain combines the two slightly different views from each eye into a single 3D image. This teamwork is what gives you smooth tracking, clear focus changes, and natural depth perception.
What Happens When Alignment Is Off
Sometimes, the eye muscles fall slightly out of sync, a condition called strabismus. When this happens, one eye may turn in, out, up, or down, causing your brain to receive two different images.
To avoid confusion, a child’s brain may start ignoring one image altogether, which can lead to a “lazy eye” (amblyopia). That’s why regular children’s eye exams are so important, as early detection can make a lasting difference and prevent issues in school..
Spotting Signs of Eye Misalignment
Eye alignment problems can appear at any age, and you might notice signs long before a formal diagnosis. Keep an eye out for:
- One eye that wanders or doesn’t seem to move with the other
- Frequent squinting or head tilting to see clearly
- Closing one eye to read or watch TV
- Blurry or double vision
- Regular headaches or eye strain after close-up work
If you notice these signs, it’s worth mentioning them during your next visit with your family optometrist.
Why These Signs Matter
These symptoms can point to an underlying issue with how the eye muscles are working. Ignoring them can sometimes lead to more significant vision problems. A family optometrist in Surrey can assess these signs during a routine check-up.
The Role of Comprehensive Eye Exams
More Than a Simple Vision Test
A comprehensive eye exam does much more than check your prescription, it gives us a full picture of how your eyes are working together. During the exam, we assess eye muscle coordination, focus, and alignment to see how well your visual system functions as a team.
These tests are a routine part of every visit, whether it’s your first eye exam or your annual check-up. For anyone managing certain health conditions—like diabetes or high blood pressure—these checks become even more important, since changes in eye coordination can sometimes signal shifts in overall eye health.
By understanding how your eyes work together, we can help you stay comfortable, catch small issues early, and keep your vision performing at its best.
How We Check Your Eye Alignment
During your comprehensive eye exam, we take a close look at how your eyes move and focus together. These checks are simple, quick, and completely non-invasive—most patients don’t even realize how much information they reveal about eye muscle coordination.
You may be asked to:
- Follow a moving light or small object as it moves in different directions. This lets us see if both eyes track smoothly and evenly.
- Cover one eye at a time while focusing on a target. Watching how your eyes adjust helps us detect any small shifts or misalignments.
- Focus on near and far objects to check how quickly and comfortably your eyes can change focus.
Each of these tests helps us see how your eyes communicate with your brain and with each other. If we notice that the muscles aren’t quite working in sync, we’ll discuss what that means for your comfort and vision.
Sometimes the solution is as simple as adjusting your prescription or adding a prism to your lenses. In other cases, we might recommend additional tests or refer you for vision therapy to help strengthen coordination. By understanding how your eyes work together, we can tailor your care to help reduce strain, improve clarity, and keep your vision performing at its best.
Support & Management for Your Eyes
How Prisms in Glasses Can Help
For some types of eye misalignment, we can add a prism to your eyeglass lenses. A prism is a special lens that bends light before it enters your eye. This helps redirect the image to the correct place on the retina, allowing your brain to fuse the images from both eyes into one.
This solution can help reduce or eliminate double vision and relieve eye strain. It allows your eyes to feel more comfortable without straining the muscles. Prisms can be a very effective part of eye disease management for conditions affecting alignment.
Training Your Eyes with Vision Therapy
For some patients, a program of guided exercises, called vision therapy, can help the eyes and brain work together more efficiently. Think of it like physiotherapy, but for your visual system.
These exercises can improve eye movements, focus, and coordination over time. If vision therapy seems right for you or your child, our team can connect you with a trusted local provider.
Supporting Clear Vision for the Whole Family
Everyone in your family can benefit from regular eye exams. For children, early visits help ensure their eyes are developing properly and that vision problems don’t interfere with learning or play. For adults, ongoing exams help detect changes in vision, monitor eye health, and catch potential issues early, before they cause discomfort or affect your daily life.
At West Coast Optical, we’re more than just a place to get glasses. Our team is dedicated to helping your eyes feel comfortable, work together smoothly, and see clearly at every stage of life. Whether you’re booking your child’s first checkup, noticing signs of eye strain, or managing a long-term condition, we’re here to help you make sense of your vision and keep it healthy.Your eyes do incredible work every day, let’s make sure they’re supported to do their best. Book your appointment today, and experience care that helps you see clearly, comfortably, and confidently.
