Amblyopia

Amblyopia or “lazy eye” develops in childhood and results in reduced vision in one eye. It happens when one eye is used less than the other from birth to seven years of age, which leads the brain to prefer the better eye. Rarely, as a result of a strong glasses prescription, amblyopia may affect both eyes.

What are the causes of amblyopia? Amblyopia can be caused by:

1. (strabismus or squint)

2. difference in the glasses prescription between the two eyes

3. An obstacle blocking visual stimulation to the eye, such as a droopy eyelid or cataract (cloudy lens); the amblyopia might persist even after the obstacle has been removed

Treatment of amblyopia

Glasses can help and should be worn during all waking hours. If glasses alone do not lead to normal sight in both eyes, a second treatment is started, usually in addition to glasses. This second treatment can be either patching the better eye for a number of hours a day or blurring the better eye by using atropine eye drops.

Information leaflets are available for both treatments.

What happens next?

Most cases of amblyopia are treatable. However, the success of treatment depends on the initial level of vision your child has in the bad eye, their age and the level of co-operation with treatment. It is very important to detect and treat amblyopia as early as possible to get the best possible vision. If it is not treated, the vision in that eye will be permanently impaired, so it is very important that you try really hard to follow the instructions given by your child’s doctor or orthoptist.

We know that children do not always understand why they need to cover their good eye and treatment can be difficult. Give lots of praise when the patch is worn well and be ready to distract your child’s attention to stop them from trying to remove the patch. Your orthoptist is very experienced in dealing with children with amblyopia and can advise you about carrying out the treatment at home as effectively as possible