A lesson I learned about eye misalignment and popular media
Eye issues are sometimes treated as comic relief in media, but it's not funny
You’ve probably heard of the saying, “The eyes are the window to your soul.” Yet how do we judge people when their eyes are misaligned through no fault of their own? Do we still want to know what’s in their soul?
My twin brother, Aaron, successfully had strabismus surgery in late 2024 to correct his badly misaligned eyes. Aaron was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG) in 1999, when he was 24 years old. Along with enduring the other symptoms that come with MG — such as muscle weakness and chronic fatigue — Aaron suddenly became cross-eyed.
Aaron’s eye misalignment became so severe that our family nicknamed him “Shaft,” after the blaxploitation film character from the 1970s. Aaron wore an Afro​​, a leather jacket, and sunglasses to hide his eyes; in fact, sunglasses were part of his daily attire for almost 25 years.
During that period of Aaron’s life, I tried not to mention his misaligned eyes. I’ve since become hypersensitive to how people with severely misaligned eyes are treated in TV and films, as if they were fodder for comic relief. In my youth, I used to laugh at people like that. I’m ashamed of it now as I see what my twin brother goes through with MG.
‘The world we live in’
During our latest discussion about Aaron’s life with MG, I wondered what he thought about how people with misaligned eyes are treated in popular media. For example, the latest trailer for the “Superman” reboot features a lensing issue that, to me, makes Superman look cross-eyed. I asked Aaron what he thought.
“I saw it,” he said. “And yes, he does.”
Actor David Corenswet plays Superman in the new film, set for a July release. The actor isn’t cross-eyed, but the latest trailer features some filmmaking issues, including a scene in which Superman looks cross-eyed while in flight. Comic book fans have ridiculed the trailer and that particular scene, some of them creating memes to wildly exaggerate the slight eye misalignment.
Aaron and I are hardcore comic book readers and film fans. I knew he’d heard about the controversy, and I wondered how he felt about it. We often share news about comic books and current events, but I couldn’t send this particular query to him by text, message board, or email.
“It doesn’t bother you that people are using that trailer to call Superman cross-eyed and mock him?” I asked. “Does it bother you when you see cross-eyed people treated this way in the real world and in fiction?”
“It used to, a lot,” Aaron replied. “I used to turn my head or switch to another channel. Now I just laugh or ignore it.”
“Really?” I said.
“Getting upset won’t stop it,” he added. “It’s the world we live in.”
Aaron lives in New York and I live in the Philippines. When we were kids, we used to enjoy watching kung fu movies together. Here in the Philippines, I see those movies a lot.
“Remember those actors with the crossed eyes who appeared for comic relief?” I asked him.
“Yeah, we used to laugh at them when we were kids,” Aaron replied.
“I can’t laugh at that anymore,” I said.
I don’t pretend to be a saint. The eyes are the windows to the soul, but we usually judge people based on their looks and general aesthetics. I realize now that I can’t control other people’s actions, only my own.
Note: Myasthenia Gravis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Myasthenia Gravis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to myasthenia gravis.
About the Author
Leave a comment
Fill in the required fields to post. Your email address will not be published.