Amblyopia

Definition

Definition of Amblyopia
Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, is a disorder of the visual system that is characterized by a vision deficiency in an eye that is otherwise physically normal, or out of proportion to associated structural abnormalities of the eye.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Amblyopia

1. Eyes that turn in or out
2. Eyes that do not appear to work together
3. Inability to judge depth correctly
4. Poor vision in one eye

Causes

Causes of Amblyopia
Amblyopia can be caused by deprivation of vision early in life by vision-obstructing disorders such as congenital cataracts, by strabismus (misaligned eyes), anisometropia (different degrees of myopia or hypermetropia in each eye), or by a significant amount of astigmatism in one or both eyes.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of Amblyopia
Amblyopia is usually easily diagnosed with a complete examination of the eyes. Special tests are usually not needed.

Treatment

Treatment of Amblyopia
Treatment of strabismic or anisometropic amblyopia consists of correcting the optical deficit (wearing the necessary spectacle prescription) and often forcing use of the amblyopic eye, either by patching the good eye, or by instilling topical atropine in the eye with better vision. Yet, there is a drawback as the drops can have a side-effect of creating nodules in the eye which a correctional ointment can counteract. One should also be wary of over-patching or over-penalizing the good eye when treating for amblyopia, as this can create so-called "reverse amblyopia" in the other eye.

Prognosis

Prognosis of Amblyopia
Children who get treated before age 5 will usually recover almost completely normal vision, although they may continue to have problems with depth percention.

Delaying treatment can result in permanent vision problems. After age 10, only a partial recovery of vision can be expected.

Prevention

Prevention of Amblyopia
Early recognition and treatment of the problem in children can help to prevent permanent visual loss. All children should have a complete eye examination at least once between ages 3 and 5.

Special techniques are needed to measure visual acuity in a child who is too young to speak. Most eye care professionals can perform these techniques.