General Information:

Amblyopia, ("lazy eye"), is a condition in which one eye has less vision.

This can be caused by conditions such as:

Misaligned (uneven) or crossed eyes

a difference in visual acuity between the two

Less commonly, amblyopia develops when one eye is more nearsighted, farsighted, or astigmatic, or suffers from cataract.

Lack of brain stimulation from the weaker eye causes the strong eye to become dominant. The amblyopic eye is suppressed and may become blind.

Clinical Symptoms:

An amblyopic eye may look normal, but it is not being used normally.

Normal Vision	Lazy eye Vision

Parents of children with amblyopia often notice the following symptoms in their child:

frequent squinting or closing one eye to see

poor visual acuity

eye-strain

headaches

Amblyopia may exist if:

Eyes do not move together or fix on the same point

The child is crying or complaining when one eye is covered

There is cloudiness in the pupil (cataract)

An upper eyelid droops and covers most of the eye (ptosis).

Treatment Options:

Some sight can be restored if the diagnosis is early enough, usually before age 5. This early treatment is necessary because an amblyopic eye has problems in its connections with the brain, not just in itself. The brain's ability to see develops quickly during early childhood, and the chances of re-establishing connections between the weak eye and the brain are better at this time.

Often, it is necessary to treat the cause of amblyopia first before making the weaker eye stronger.

Such first treatments may be:

wearing glasses to align or focus the eyes

surgery on the eye muscles

eye exercises

Subsequent treatment may be:

wearing a patch (cover) on the stronger eye for weeks or months, which forces the amblyopic eye to work, developing more connections with the brain.

Or atropine drops can be placed in the strong eye to blur its vision temporarily and stimulate the weak eye.

Prevention:

Amblyopia can be prevented through early diagnosis and treatment. Without treatment, an amblyopic eye may never develop properly, and even become blind. Children should have their eyes examined before they start school, followed by regular checkups.