Vision Information – Amblyopia or “Lazy Eye”
The popular term for amblyopia is lazy eye. It is unrelated to any eye health problem and is the loss or lack of development of central vision in one eye. Lazy eye cannot be corrected with lenses.
It is a condition that usually develops before the age of 6 and can result from an inability to use both eyes together. Lazy eye is frequently associated with crossed-eyes or a big difference in the degree of short-sightedness or far-sightedness between the two eyes.
What are Lazy Eye Symptoms?
Symptoms are not always immediately obvious but may include noticeably favoring one eye or a tendency to bump into objects on one side.
How is Lazy Eye Treated?
Your eye care practitioner may prescribe a combination of prescription lenses, prisms, vision therapy and eye patching. Vision therapy is used to teach the two eyes to work together, which can prevent lazy eye from recurring.
Chances for a complete recovery can occur if the condition is diagnosed early. It is important therefore to ensure that your children have a comprehensive eye examination by age 6 months and again at age 3. Lazy eye is a problem that will remain if not treated and, if not diagnosed until the teen or adult years, takes longer to resolve and can be less effective in responding to treatment.
Related – Vision Patients: Asking the Right Questions, Ocular Albinism, Medical Reasons for Wearing Sunglasses, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, Glaucoma Information, Onchocerciasis: River Blindness, Presbyopia, Posterior Vitreous Detachment, Eye Anatomy: Important Definitions, Duane Syndrome.
Amblyopia: Lazy Eye was originally published on Eye Zone.