Academic performance, interactions with peers, and athletic ability are factors connected to self-esteem in school children.

The research looked at whether the condition “lazy eye” or amblyopia, where one eye has reduced vision due to misalignment or blur, was associated with lower self-perception by children of their competence, appearance, conduct, and self-worth. The findings are published in the journal of JAMA Ophthalmology.

The study included 50 children with amblyopia, along with 13 others without it but with misalignment or blur of one eye, and 18 children with no such eye conditions in a control group for comparison. It was found that children with “lazy eye” had lower scholastic, social and athletic scores on a self-perception profile than the children in the control group.

Reading speed was associated with self-perception of academic competence while aiming and catching skills were associated with self-perception of scholastic, social and athletic ability for children with amblyopia.