Eye Contact in Autism: Causes of Absence and How to Address Them

Eye contact helps convey emotions, fosters mutual trust, and allows us to pick up and understand nonverbal signals. The inability or unwillingness to look at others is one of the symptoms of autism and often leads to misunderstandings and the formation of mistaken opinions about individuals with this disorder. However, these biased views are based on stereotypes.

1. Individual Features of Autism: Autism is a spectrum disorder with individual characteristics, meaning each person has their own strengths and challenges. Some autistic individuals may avoid eye contact entirely, while others may engage in it intermittently or focus on objects instead of the person. This trait should simply be accepted, as it does not indicate a lack of interest or empathy.
2. Different Processing of Nonverbal Signals: Autistic individuals process and interpret nonverbal signals differently and may rely not only on words and their meaning but also on body language or tone of voice to fully understand a conversation. Insisting that they make eye contact during these conversations can be counterproductive and reduce the ability for effective communication.
3. Sensory Sensitivity: Autistic individuals often have heightened reactions from their sensory systems. Specifically, visual hypersensitivity can cause discomfort, increase anxiety, and stress when exposed to bright lights, intense gazes, or an excess of visual information. Therefore, it is crucial that the environment in which communication occurs is as calming as possible.
4. Alternative Forms of Communication: It is important to remember that eye contact is only one element of nonverbal communication, which relies on a wide range of signals. Autistic individuals often use alternative forms of self-expression—such as facial expressions, gestures, or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. They should be praised for this, as using a variety of communication methods increases overall effectiveness.
5. Focusing on Other Communication Skills: It’s important to focus not only on developing the skill of maintaining eye contact but also on enhancing other ways of communication. Although communication challenges may persist, they are likely to become less pronounced if the autistic individual feels a positive attitude and willingness to help from others.
6. Eye Contact Is Not a Social Deficit: Lack of eye contact is not a personal or social shortcoming. Many autistic individuals have exceptional attention to detail, heightened focus, and varied interests, which allows them to be valuable members of society and make meaningful contributions. There is no need to remind them to look at others—this characteristic does not affect their ability to understand or empathize.
7. Developing Overall Communication Skills: The key lies in developing overall communication skills, including both verbal and nonverbal forms, interacting with others based on each situation, and understanding signals beyond words. Improving these skills enhances socialization and strengthens social bonds and relationships.

Finally, it is important to understand that lack of eye contact is just one symptom of autism. By addressing the underlying disorder, which is the root cause of behavioral traits, its effects on daily life can be minimized. The most effective and quickest way to achieve this is through cell therapy—an innovative, highly effective, and safe method based on the body’s ability to heal itself.

Cell therapy involves the transplantation of stem cells, which have the unique ability to transform into healthy counterparts of damaged cells in any organ and restore its functionality. In the same natural way, it corrects the brain and nervous system, leading to positive long-term effects, and in many cases, lifetime benefits, enhancing the effectiveness of complementary therapies.

This approach is already practiced in leading clinics around the world. One such clinic is the Mardaleishvili Medical Center, where top-tier doctors have gained significant success in treating autism using stem cell therapy. The cost of stem cell transplants and associated services is lower here than in other countries with advanced healthcare systems. Additionally, patients can rely on comprehensive assistance with travel planning, accommodation, and other arrangements.

Cell therapy—a way to look directly at the person you’re communicating with!