Ambylopia

Introduction 

Amblyopia, often referred to as “lazy eye,” is a common vision disorder that typically begins during childhood. It is characterized by decreased vision in one or both eyes due to abnormal development of vision in infancy or early childhood. This article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of amblyopia, its symptoms, risk factors, causes, and treatment options. 

What is Amblyopia? 

Amblyopia is a type of poor vision that usually happens in just one eye but can occur in both eyes. It develops when there’s a breakdown in how the brain and the eye work together, and the brain can’t recognize the sight from one eye. Over time, the brain relies more and more on the other, stronger eye, while vision in the weaker eye gets worse. It’s called “lazy eye” because the stronger eye works better. 

What are the Symptoms of Amblyopia? 

The symptoms of amblyopia can be hard to notice. Kids with amblyopia may have poor depth perception, meaning they have trouble telling how near or far something is. Parents may also notice signs that their child is struggling to see clearly, like squinting, shutting one eye, or tilting their head. In many cases, parents don’t know their child has amblyopia until a doctor diagnoses it during an eye exam. 

Is a Child at Risk for Amblyopia? 

Some kids are born with amblyopia, and others develop it later in childhood. The chances of having amblyopia are higher in kids who were born early (premature), were smaller than average at birth, have a family history of amblyopia, childhood cataracts, or other eye conditions, or have developmental disabilities. 

What Causes Amblyopia? 

In many cases, doctors don’t know the cause of amblyopia. But sometimes, a different vision problem can lead to amblyopia. Some eye conditions that can lead to amblyopia are refractive errors, strabismus, and cataract. Refractive errors include common vision problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Strabismus is a condition where the eyes don’t line up, and one eye might drift in, out, up, or down. A cataract causes cloudiness in the lens of the eye, making things look blurry. 

What is the Treatment for Amblyopia? 

The treatment for amblyopia usually involves making the child use their weaker eye. This is often done by putting a patch over the child’s stronger eye. In some cases, eye drops can be used to blur vision in the stronger eye. Or the child may wear eyeglasses with a lens that blurs vision in that eye. If the child has surgery to fix a condition that causes amblyopia, they may still need to wear glasses or a patch afterward for a certain amount of time.