If you cross your eyes they will stay that way
| If you cross your eyes they will stay that way | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "If you cross your eyes for too long, or someone slaps your back while you do it, your eyes will get stuck crossed forever." | |
| Domain | Health & Medicine |
| Tactic | Fabrication |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | 20th century |
| Origin | Parents' warnings to children making faces |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-30 |
| Further reading: books on Health & Medicine | |
Generations of children have been warned that their eyes will "stay that way" if they keep crossing them. It is often said about pulling faces too.
What the evidence shows
- Muscles relax. Crossing the eyes on purpose uses the eye muscles briefly. When a child stops, the muscles relax and the eyes return to normal.
- Real crossed eyes. Strabismus, a misalignment of the eyes, is a real condition caused by problems with eye muscles, nerves or vision. It is not caused by crossing the eyes for fun.
- When to see a doctor. Eye doctors advise checking with a professional if a child's eyes seem to wander or cross when they are not doing it deliberately.
Why it matters
Scary warnings can stop a behavior, but they can also stop children from mentioning real symptoms. Accurate explanations work better.
Sources
- American Academy of Ophthalmology, "Can Crossing Your Eyes Make Them Stay That Way?"
- American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, "Strabismus."
- Scientific American, "Fact or Fiction: If You Cross Your Eyes, They Will Stay That Way," 2008.