When your child has esotropia (an eye that turns inward, often called “crossed eyes”), it’s easy to feel stuck between stressful appointments, patching battles, and wondering whether you’re doing “enough” at home.
In this interview, a parent Stephanie shares what it was like to add AmblyoPlay into their child’s routine, diagnosed with esotropia and accommodative insufficiency. She tells us what they tried before, what made consistency finally possible, and the changes they noticed over time.
Important note: Every child is different. Results vary based on diagnosis and treatment plan. Always follow guidance from your optometrist/ophthalmologist.
Table of contents
Interview: Treating Esotropia and Acommodative Insufficiency at Home with AmblyoPlay
What led to your discovery of AmblyoPlay vision therapy, and what influenced your decision to try it?
Our son was diagnosed with esotropia when he was 2 years old. He had surgery, but it only corrected the issue as long as he was wearing glasses. We had no idea there were any other issues.
We started seeing a different optometrist when he was 10 after a cross-country move. He was diagnosed here with esotropic strabismus and accommodative insufficiency. They recommended vision therapy, which he did in-office for 6 months.
It was expensive and the homework was tedious, so we started searching for other solutions. That’s when we stumbled on AmblyoPlay and decided to give it a try.
Six months of AmblyoPlay was 1/7th the price of the in office treatment and looked much more engaging. It also had the benefit of me not having to drive him to appointments.
Have you previously pursued other treatment approaches for esotropia/accommodative insufficiency? What as that experience like?
Yes. We tried the approaches our eye doctor recommended and learned quickly that “the best plan” only works if your child will do it.
Some methods were hard to maintain day after day, especially when our child was tired or frustrated. That’s why we started searching for a way to support treatment at home that didn’t depend on constant negotiating.
He went through the surgery and 6 months of in-office vision therapy. The surgery corrected the esotropia cosmetically but only if his glasses are on. The in-office therapy was very beneficial, but expensive and a long drive there and back every week.
Did the progress and outcomes align with your initial expectations?
We tried to stay realistic. What surprised us most was how much consistency improved once the routine became easier. That consistency was the turning point because once practice became regular, we started noticing meaningful changes over time (and our follow-ups felt less discouraging).
Prior to starting in-office therapy, his baseline right eye score (testing used by his optometrist) was 17 (out of 100). After six months of in office, his score went up to 31.
After six more months, this time AmblyoPlay only, his score increased to 50! We are working on another six months to see if his progress will continue.
How would you describe your overall experience with AmblyoPlay, especially the clarity of instructions and how it fits into daily life?
Yes, it was all very straightforward and easy to get started. We appreciate that it’s available as an app, so we just downloaded it to the family iPad and helped him get it set up.
The structure helped a lot. It felt straightforward: open the program, follow the steps, and complete a session that wasn’t overwhelming.As a parent, that reduced mental load. We didn’t have to “invent” a plan each day, we just had to show up consistently. He performs the therapy and testing himself.
How challenging was it to motivate your child to do vision therapy with AmblyoPlay?
It has not been hard to motivate him at all. Much more engaging than the program his in office therapist used for his homework.
Do the games and character upgrades improve compliance in your view?
Yes! He loves upgrading the characters and then mixing and matching his favorite clothing and showing them off to us. He gets excited to work on unlocking upgrades for each new character.
Can you highlight some of the advantages you find out during vision therapy?
The biggest advantages for our son have been practical application:
- He no longer gets headaches during reading/school work,
- his depth perception has increased dramatically so he can easily catch balls now, he doesn’t need to sit so close to the TV to see things clearly,
- his hand-eye coordination improved so that video games are much easier for him now, and overall his confidence has increased.
Any additional feedback or suggestions for parents considering AmblyoPlay for esotropia?
We love AmblyoPlay! Anytime you guys add new games, he gets very excited to try them out. Keep up the awesome work!
Conclusion: AmblyoPlay as at-home support for esotropia vision therapy
For this family, AmblyoPlay made one thing finally realistic: consistent practice.
If your child has esotropia (strabismus) and you’re looking for a structured way to support a vision therapy plan at home, especially if compliance has been the biggest roadblock, AmblyoPlay can help turn daily therapy into something your child is more willing to do.
Key takeaways for parents considering AmblyoPlay for esotropia
- Consistency is the hardest part of vision therapy. AmblyoPlay helped make practice feel like play.
- The parent used AmblyoPlay as a structured at-home routine to support their child’s vision plan.
- The biggest early “win” wasn’t just progress. It was better cooperation and motivation, which made progress possible.
FAQ: Esotropia Vision Therapy, At-Home Support, and AmblyoPlay
Can vision therapy help esotropia in children?
In many cases, vision therapy can help improve eye coordination and binocular vision skills, especially when used under guidance from an eye care professional. Your doctor can confirm whether your child is a good candidate based on the type and cause of esotropia.
What’s the difference between esotropia, strabismus, and amblyopia?
Strabismus is the umbrella term for misaligned eyes. Esotropia is a type of strabismus where one eye turns inward. Amblyopia (“lazy eye”) is reduced vision in one eye, which can develop alongside strabismus.
What if my child refuses patching or boring exercises?
That’s common. Many parents look for ways to make therapy easier to complete. Game-like, structured training can help improve cooperation and consistency, two of the biggest drivers of progress.
We would like to thank Stephanie for taking the time to share her son’s experience, which we believe could help at least one reading this interview! In case of any questions, I am available at [email protected].
