What Is Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)

The leading cause of reduced vision among children is known as amblyopia. Many people who come across these terms wonder what is amblyopia (lazy eye). This is a condition which occurs when visual development in infancy or early childhood is affected. This condition usually affects one eye, but both eyes may be affected. If amblyopia is not treated, it can cause mild or severe vision loss.

Even if a person has amblyopia, the eyes may appear normal. This condition develops when nerve pathways between the eye and the brain are not properly stimulated. For this reason, the brain favors one eye because of poor vision in the other. The eye that is weaker tends to wander. Eventually, the brain can ignore the signals it receives from the weaker or lazy eye.

The common symptoms and signs of lazy eye include poor depth perception, eyes that appear to work individually and an eye that wanders outward or inward. In some patients, this condition cannot be detected unless an eye exam is performed. Medical professionals estimate that 3 percent of children under the age of six have some form of lazy eye.

It is important for both eyes to receive clear images during the period of birth to six years of age. If anything interferes with clear vision in either eye, amblyopia can develop. The most common causes of this condition are blockage of an eye because of trauma, constant turn of one eye, different prescriptions in each eye and lid droop. If one of the eyes sees clearly while the other one sees a blur, the brain will suppress or ignore the one with a blur. Therefore, lazy eye is a neurologically active process. The suppression can cause permanent decrease in the vision of one eye and it cannot be corrected with lenses, eyeglasses or Lasik surgery.

Primary care physicians usually check vision when performing routine checkups for children. If you discover that the eye of your child is wandering at any time beyond the first few weeks of life, you should consult your doctor. Your physician may refer the child to a specialist such as an optometrist or ophthalmologist if necessary.

This condition can be inherited. It tends to affect children who are born with low birth weight or prematurely. It is also common in children born in families that have a history of eye disease, crossed eyes and childhood cataracts.

Doctors diagnose amblyopia by performing a thorough eye exam. They look for a wandering eye, poor vision in both eyes or difference in vision between the eyes. In newborns, doctors use an opthalmoscope to perform the red reflex test. In infants, doctors can test for the ability to look at and follow a moving object. In toddlers and older children, doctors can perform the red reflex test, remote autorefraction, photo screening or by using letters and pictures.

Treatment for amblyopia should begin in early childhood because this is the time when the connections between the brain and the eyes form. Treatment options vary depending on the cause of lazy eye and the degree to which the vision of a child is affected. These treatment options include eye patches, corrective eyewear, eye drops, surgery and active treatments like playing computer games, completing puzzles and drawing.

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