Amblyopia - Lazy Eye

Commonly referred to as “lazy eye,” Amblyopia is a condition characterized by reduced vision in an eye that has not been used adequately during childhood. It often results from a misalignment of a child’s eyes (e.g. crossed eyes) or a difference in image quality between the child’s two eyes (one eye focuses better than the other). In both of these cases, one eye becomes stronger than the other and suppresses the images of the other eye. “Lazy eye” is actually inaccurate because there is no “laziness” of the eye involved with this condition.

If amblyopia persists, the weaker eye may become useless, but with early diagnosis and treatment, vision in the weaker eye can be restored. If left untreated, the weaker eye may never develop good vision, and vision in that eye can be lost completely and permanently. It is estimated that 1-5% of the general population suffers from this visual impairment. While amblyopia typically affects only one eye, both eyes can be amblyopic if they are both deprived of receiving good, clear visual images.

Symptoms

Amblyopia usually develops in children before the age of six. People suffering this visual impairment lack binocular vision (stereopsis), which is the ability to blend the images of both eyes together. Some of the most common symptoms of amblyopia are:

Eyes that turn in or out
Inability to judge depth correctly
Squinting or closing one eye while reading or watching television
Turning or tilting the head while looking at an object
Poor spatial acuity
Eyestrain
Headaches

Detection and Diagnosis

A general eye exam with use of the 20/20 eye chart will not detect amblyopia. Examination with cycloplegic drops may be necessary to detect it in young children. Because only one eye is affected in most cases, amblyopia frequently goes unnoticed until the child’s eyes are examined later in childhood. For this reason, comprehensive vision examinations are necessary for infants and pre-school aged children.

Treatment

treatment for amblyopia varies and may involve eyeglasses, drops, wearing an eye patch, or vision therapy. Research indicates that amblyopia can be treated successfully up to the age of 17. This is not to say that amblyopia absolutely cannot be treated if you are older than 17; instead, it is emphasized that children’s eyes be examined at a very young age as early detection allows the best chance of successful treatment.

If you would like to learn more about amblyopia or would like to have your child tested for this visual impairment, please contact an eye doctor in your area today.