What is amblyopia?
Amblyopia (also commonly known as lazy eye) is a type of poor vision that usually happens in just one eye but less commonly 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 the affected eye.
A lazy eye occurs when the weaker eye does not work as well as the stronger eye. A person with amblyopia is not lazy, and their eyes cannot be controlled.
Amblyopia is the most common cause of vision loss in kids and begins in childhood. It affects up to 3 out of 100 children. Early treatment usually prevents long-term vision problems and works well.
Signs and symptoms
Lazy eye symptoms include:
Causes:
A lazy eye develops due to abnormal visual experiences early in life that affect the nerve pathways between the thin layer of tissue (retina) at the back of the eye and the brain. Due to fewer visual signals reaching the weaker eye, the eyes are less able to work together, and the brain suppresses or ignores the weaker eye's input.
Various factors can result in a lazy eye, including:
Muscle imbalance (strabismus amblyopia): This is the most common cause of a lazy eye, where an imbalance in the eye muscles causes the eyes to cross in or turn out, preventing them from working together.
Difference in sharpness of vision between the eyes (refractive amblyopia): A significant difference in the prescriptions in each eye, often due to farsightedness, nearsightedness, or astigmatism, can result in a lazy eye. Eye patch glasses are typically used to correct these refractive problems. In some cases, a combination of strabismus and refractive problems can cause lazy eye.
Deprivation: A cloudy area in one eye's lens (cataract) can make it difficult to see clearly. Deprivation amblyopia in infancy requires urgent treatment to prevent permanent vision loss and is often the most severe type of amblyopia.
Risk factors:
Factors that increase the risk of lazy eye include:
Diagnosis
Consult the best Ophthalmologist to conduct an eye exam to check for eye health, a wandering eye, differences in vision between the eyes, or poor vision in both eyes.
Depending on your child's age and development stage, there are various ways to test their vision:
- For preverbal children, a lighted magnifying device can be used to detect cataracts, and other tests can assess an infant's or toddler's ability to fix his or her gaze and follow a moving object.
- For children aged 3 and older, tests using pictures or letters can assess vision.
Treatment
Amblyopia must be treated early, ideally before the age of seven, to take advantage of the developing brain-eye connections. Despite this, treatment can still be effective
Children who are older. Depending on the cause and extent of vision impairment, there are different treatment options for amblyopia:
Corrective eyewear: Glasses or contact lenses can correct issues such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism contributing to lazy eye.
Eye patches: To encourage the weaker eye, your child wears an eye patch over the eye with better vision for two to six or more hours a day. Wearing an eye patch for an extended period can rarely result in the development of amblyopia in the patched eye, but this is usually reversible.
Bangerter filter: It is placed on the eyeglass lens of the stronger eye. The filter blurs the stronger eye and, similar to an eye patch, stimulates the weaker eye
Eyedrops: Atropine (Isopto Atropine) eyedrops can temporarily blur vision in the stronger eye. Typically prescribed for use on weekends or daily, the use of these drops encourages your child to rely on the weaker eye and offers an alternative to an eye patch. Side effects may include sensitivity to light and eye irritation.
Surgery: You may need surgery if your child has droopy eyelids or cataracts causing deprivation amblyopia. If your child's eyes persistently cross or wander apart even with appropriate glasses, surgical repair may be recommended to straighten the eyes, in addition to other treatments for lazy eyes.
A child with amblyopia, or lazy eye, may experience significant vision problems as a result if left untreated. Preventing long-term vision loss requires early detection and treatment. Consult an ophthalmologist if you suspect your child might have amblyopia. Children with amblyopia can improve their vision significantly with appropriate treatment.
Disclaimer
This is general information about the disease and treatment options, please consult a specialist doctor for the right diagnosis and treatment which may vary based on each patient. Book an appointment with your specialist to know further.
