Which is a potential complication of untreated strabismus in children?

• A. Cataract
• B. Amblyopia
• C. Glaucoma
• D. Retinopathy

Answer: (B)

Misalignment of the eyes during early childhood disrupts normal binocular visual development. The brain may suppress input from the misaligned eye to avoid double vision, and over time this neural suppression leads to reduced visual acuity in that eye—amblyopia. This is the most likely complication of untreated strabismus because the issue is tied to neural development and how the brain processes visual input from each eye, not to changes in the eye’s structure itself. If caught early, treatments like patching the stronger eye, refractive correction, and sometimes surgical alignment can prevent or lessen amblyopia. Cataract, glaucoma, and retinopathy involve the lens, optic nerve, or retina and are not direct consequences of strabismus.