Amblyopia (Lazy Eye): Symptoms, Diagnosis, And Treatment

Amblyopia, commonly known as "lazy eye," is a vision development disorder that typically occurs in early childhood. It occurs when one eye fails to achieve normal visual acuity, even with the use of prescription glasses or contact lenses. When left untreated, this condition can lead to permanent vision problems.

According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), amblyopia affects approximately 2-3% of children in the United States. It is usually diagnosed in kids aged 3–7 or as early as infancy.

Read below this article to learn about the symptoms, causes, and treatment of amblyopia, also called lazy eye.

What Is Amblyopia?

It is a condition where one eye becomes weaker than the other due to abnormal visual development early in life. The brain starts to favor the stronger eye, while the weaker eye is neglected. This is the reason the brain starts ignoring visual input from the weaker eye, which can cause long-term vision problems if not treated.

The main types of amblyopia include

Strabismic Amblyopia occurs when one eye may turn in, out, up, or down, leading the brain to favor the better-aligned eye.
Refractive amblyopia occurs due to significant differences in refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism) between the two eyes.
Deprivation Amblyopia is the least common type and occurs when something obstructs light from entering the eye, such as a cataract.

Symptoms of Amblyopia

While it is difficult to detect amblyopia in younger children, some common signs include

Difficulty judging distances
clumsiness when performing tasks like catching a ball
Squinting or Shutting One Eye
Tilting the head or turning the face to see objects more clearly
Difficulty with schoolwork due to uncorrected vision problems.
Misaligned eyes

Diagnosis and Treatment

Typically, this condition is diagnosed during a routine eye checkup. During such eye exams, the doctor tests visual acuity in both eyes and checks for differences in vision between the two eyes. Other tests may also be recommended to detect misalignment of the eyes or refractive errors.

The doctor may then recommend treatment to improve vision in the weaker eye and encourage the brain to use both eyes equally. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), children who begin treatment for amblyopia before the age of 7 are more likely to achieve significant improvements in vision.

For children with refractive amblyopia, prescription glasses or contact lenses are recommended to correct the vision imbalance between the two eyes. Patching is another common treatment alternative, as it significantly helps improving vision. Atropine drops are a temporary solution to treat blurred vision in the stronger eye, encouraging the brain to use the weaker eye more.

In severe cases, surgery may be performed if amblyopia is caused by cataracts or misaligned eyes.

Takeaway

Amblyopia is a common childhood vision concern, which is however important to diagnose and treat at an early stage before the condition worsens. If you recognize any signs of amblyopia in your child, seek immediate medical attention.