# Cross-Eyed **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 23, 2000, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-eyed/9030 "2000-03-23T00:36:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zeus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeus)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2000, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-eyed/9030/1 "2000-03-23T00:36:00Z")
I don’t know if this has been discussed before, since I am relatively new to this site. Today, we were having a discussion in school, and an old topic came up:if someone hits you in the back when you have your eyes crossed, do you stay like that? No one seemed to have a definite answer. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2000, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-eyed/9030/2 "2000-03-23T00:42:00Z")
Sounds like the same Old Wives Tale [TM] as “If you cross your eyes too much, they’ll get stuck that way.” I’m convinced these rumors get started by people who think crossing your eyes looks icky-poo, in an attempt to make people stop doing it. Sorta like that rumor about cracking your knuckles giving you arthritis. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2000, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-eyed/9030/3 "2000-03-23T00:51:00Z")
[Moderator Hat ON] Doesn’t sound like a Great Debate to me. Off you go to General Questions. [Moderator Hat ON] ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2000, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-eyed/9030/4 "2000-03-23T01:45:00Z")
Zeus: I don’t think the muscles that control your eyeballs work that way. It would be like saying what if you were sitting with your legs crossed, and somebody whacked you on the side of your leg, your legs might be permanently stuck like that, so don’t ever sit with your legs crossed. I do know what you have to watch out for, though–don’t ever cross your eyes, stick out your tongue, and push up your nose with your fingers, because your face might freeze that way, and then what would you do? :eek: