Lazy Eye Treatment

Lazy eye is mostly observed in children. This condition is observed when the central vision of one of the eyes is not properly developed. Normally, this problem arises before a child reaches the age of six and it usually affects only one eye. However, the possibility of lazy eye affecting both the eyes cannot be ruled out. This eye problem is quite common and is found in nearly one out of every twenty five children. The characteristic of lazy eye is either poor or unclear vision. The main cause of lazy eye is believed to be that the visual image is not sent to the brain in a coordinated manner. As a result, both the eyes fail to work together. It is to be noted that lazy eye does not have any effect on the side vision of the eyes.

Symptoms of Lazy Eye

When a child is mildly affected by lazy eye, no symptoms are noticeable. This is because, the stronger eye functions normally. In severe cases, inadequate depth perception, sharpness of vision and sense of contrast are seen. The most common symptoms of lazy eye are squinting of eyes or complete closure of the weak eye, strain in eyes and headache. People suffering from lazy eye find it difficult to see three dimensional images of autostereograms. The perception of size or motion parallax in patients of lazy eye, remains normal.

Lazy Eye Treatment

If the problem is detected at an early stage, it is possible to cure lazy eye with proper treatment. Lazy eye treatment includes lazy eye exercises and surgery. In case a person has huge discrepancy in the near sightedness and farsightedness in both the eyes, surgery is the best option for the lazy eye correction. It rectifies the problem associated with the eye muscles and makes them capable to focus on a particular point.

Lazy eye exercises also bring about marked improvement in the condition and enable the eyes to perform their task in sync with each other. Here, the doctors often put a patch on the strong eye so that the lazy eye can get back its ability to see. The exercises need to be done every day for certain number of hours. It should be continued for few months for best possible results.

Most of the time, children refuse to keep the patch on. In these cases, prosthetic contact lenses can be used, which are devised specifically to bar the vision of the lazy eye. However, it looks similar to the normal lenses meant for the other eye. These exercises compel the brain so that it tries to see through the lazy eye and thus, help regenerate the vision in the affected eye.

Atropine eye drops works well to serve the purpose of blocking the good eye. Just one drop of atropine is administered to the strong eye to make its vision hazy. As a result, the person is forced to see through the lazy eye, thus making it stronger. Researchers have found some side-effects like light sensitivity and inability to change focus, when atropine is used for a prolonged duration.

Lazy eye cannot get corrected on its own. If left untreated, it can lead to some severe visual problems later on. Also, if the strong eye gets an infection, the weak vision of the lazy eye has to be relied on. Therefore, good and early treatment is a must for lazy eye.