Will strabismus eventually lead to blindness?

In general, strabismus itself does not directly lead to blindness, but if left uncorrected for a long time, it may trigger serious vision problems that indirectly threaten visual function. The detailed analysis is as follows:

Strabismus primarily manifests as the inability of both eyes to simultaneously focus on the same target. The core issue lies in abnormal coordination of the extraocular muscles, rather than direct structural damage to the eyeball or optic nerve. Patients commonly experience symptoms such as double vision, eye fatigue, and headaches. While binocular coordination is disrupted when viewing objects at different distances, there is no direct damage to the retina or optic nerve; therefore, most patients do not go completely blind solely due to strabismus.

If strabismus remains uncorrected over a prolonged period—especially when onset occurs during childhood—the brain may actively suppress visual signals from the misaligned eye, which can easily lead to amblyopia. Amblyopia causes arrested visual development, and if it persists into adulthood, may result in irreversible severe vision loss. Although this condition differs from traditional blindness, it significantly impacts quality of life.

Early intervention is essential once strabismus is detected. In children, correction methods include wearing glasses or undergoing occlusion therapy, while surgery may be necessary for adults in certain cases. It's important to avoid prolonged unilateral eye use in daily activities, have regular eye examinations, and actively maintain coordinated binocular function.