Amblyopia, lazy eye - all you need to know! |

Amblyopia (lazy eye) – all you need to know

lazy eye

What is amblyopia (lazy eye)?

Amblyopia, better known as lazy eye, is an eye condition where children have good or perfect vision in one eye and decreased vision in the other.

With one eye having better vision than the other, the brain starts to depend on the better eye and neglects the weaker one. Untreated lazy eye conditions may cause the brain to ignore any images it gets from the weaker eye in the long run. This may have an adverse impact on the child’s vision.

What causes lazy eye?

Many factors give rise to amblyopia. Eyes with amblyopia usually have some form of refractive error like astigmatism or myopia. Amblyopia can also be due to conditions like childhood cataracts that obstruct your child’s vision. Strabismus, or squinting, can also lead to amblyopia because the child’s eyes do not look in the same direction as they are not aligned.

Risk Factors

Factors linked to a greater risk of amblyopia include:

  • Premature birth
  • Baby’s small size at birth
  • Family history
  • Developmental challenges in baby’s growth

Premature birth increases the risks of a lazy eye.

Symptoms Of Amblyopia

Unfortunately, amblyopia may be challenging to detect at first because most children suffering from lazy eyes will not realize they have vision problems and thus do not voice their concerns out. The brain and the eye with better vision would compensate for the reduced vision in the other eye so well that it masks the amblyopia. Alternatively, the child may get used to having good vision in only one eye. Children who have well-aligned eyes may not have their amblyopia noticeable.

What To Detect

If you notice your child squinting frequently, complaining of double or blurry vision, having crossed eyes, or tilting the head for better vision, your child may have lazy eyes. Compromised depth perception and problems with 3-dimensional viewing may be other indicators of amblyopia. Go for regular and timely eye check ups to detect amblyopia. Children should have their first eye check at 6 months old and at least once between the ages of 2 and 5 years. Above the age of 5, children who do not require glasses should go for an eye check every 2 years and for children who do wear glasses, once every year.

Treatment For Amblyopia

Amblyopia

An eye patch can be used to treat lazy eyes. (Source: Florida Eyecare Associates)

 

Eye patches (to be worn for weeks or months at a time) that cover the good eye for some hours during the day so that the child has no other choice but to use the worse eye are useful aids to treat amblyopia. Your eye care professional will be able to determine the best course of treatment for amblyopia for your child. Children who were treated at an earlier age (six years or younger) enjoy greater success with their amblyopia treatment. This shows the importance of early detection for a better chance of total recovery. Regular eye check ups are vital in detecting amblyopia in your child’s eyes.

 

References

Mayo Clinic. 2022. Lazy eye (amblyopia) – Symptoms and causes. [online] Available at: <https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lazy-eye/symptoms-causes/syc-20352391#:~:text=Lazy%20eye%20(amblyopia)%20is%20reduced,of%20decreased%20vision%20among%20children.> [Accessed 7 March 2022].

30 COMMENTS

    • You’re welcome Musbahu! If you’d like to stay updated on our latest contributions, go ahead and subscribe to our mailing list!

        • Hi Apu Das. Thank you for the kind feedback. It is really heartening to know that our content is helping people from all over the world. You can count on us to continue to create educational and meaningful content to help save our children’s vision!

    • Hi Tuburu. The treatment we’ve described in this article is generally for children. For adult diagnosis and treatments for amblyopia, we would advise you to speak to an eye care professional.

    • Hi Dennice. Thank you for the feedback. If you’d like to stay updated on our latest articles, do subscribe to our newsletter!

    • Hi Shah. You can find tons of information on eye health issues and vision impairment on our website. However, for advice and guidance specific to your needs, do reach out to an eye care professional. If you’re living in Singapore, you can book an appointment directly at https://planoeyecheck.com

    • Hi Amit, thanks for the feedback! If you’d like to stay updated on the latest info from us, do subscribe to our newsletter!

    • Hi Ephel! Thank you for the feedback! We try our best to provide the best information on eye health. Generally, amblyopia (lazy eye) treatment would be suitable for most children. However, since most children develop at their own pace, it would be best to see an eye care professional to know if the 7-year old child can be treated for amblyopia. If you’re living in Singapore, you can book an appointment directly with https://planoeyecheck.com.

  1. I have lazy eye and did the patching treatment. Much better now but I still have eye related issues and high power. Doctors prescribed me drops to keep my eyes lubricated.

      • Hi Chimuka! Generally, amblyopia treatment is targeted at younger individuals. However, there are some treatments in the market that claim they are suitable for adults. We cannot back or support any of these claims. Instead, we would advise that you seek professional advice from a certified and qualified eye health practitioner.

    • Hi Kaleem. When it comes to amblyopia (lazy eye), it’s best to intervene early. For your daughter, I’m afraid that we cannot advise on her vision recovery, as it really is a case-by-case basis. We would highly recommend that you see an eye care professional to get an accurate diagnosis and prescribed treatment for your daughter. If you’re living in Singapore, you can book an appointment directly at https://planoeyecheck.com

    • Hi Nirmala. I’m afraid that we cannot provide you with an estimate on the likelihood of your son’s recovery. As mentioned before, treatment is prescribed on a case-by-case basis. We recommend that you see an eye care professional as soon as you can to seek medical intervention early to treat your son’s vision problems.

    • Hi Shalini! The chances of recovery really depends on the age and severity of the condition. To get a proper diagnosis, do seek advice from an eye care professional as soon as you can before the condition worsens.

    • Hi Minisha! The chances of recovery really depends on the age and the severity of the condition. It would be best to seek advice directly from an eye care professional.

  2. My son has grown up with the same exact problem,it was detected when he was 11years old he was given glasses after he outgrew in size he put them down. He didn’t go back, to hospital,now he’s 18yrs he’s eye is completely blurred. What can we do to help him?

    • Hi Maggie! The best advice we can give is to go back to the hospital. There could be other reasons for his blurry vision that may not be related to his childhood diagnosis of amblyopia. We strongly advise you to get an expert opinion from an eye care professional as soon as possible. We hope his vision gets better!

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