Newswise — Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, affectionately dubbed “pommel horse guy” by the internet, is capturing hearts not just for his bronze-winning talent, but also for his eyeglasses. The bespectacled athlete has strabismus and coloboma, eye conditions that impact his vision. In a TikTok video, Nedoroscik described his eyesight as “basically cross-sighted,” adding that he can switch his dominant eye on command.
As Team USA continues to celebrate Nedoroscik and his Clark Kent-style frames, Christopher Gappy, M.D., shares more about strabismus, coloboma and Nedoroscik’s impact on public perception of glasses.
What are strabismus and coloboma? Strabismus is the misalignment of eyes. In strabismus, the eyes can be crossed inward, wandering outward or vertically misalignment. Coloboma is a missing part of the eye at birth.
This is due to an embryologic abnormality. It can be as mild as a cosmetic issue or it can be as significant as blindness. The location and size of the coloboma determines its severity.
How do these conditions impact children vs. adults? Strabismus in children can lead to amblyopia, or “lazy eye,” where the brain has shut down that eye. In adults, strabismus could lead to double vision and difficulty with depth perception.
Strabismus could also be a sign that the vision is down in one eye. Coloboma affects children and adults similarly, and can vary in severity. Stephen Nedoroscik has both conditions.
How might having both impact your v.