What is Lazy Eye

Lazy eye, otherwise known as amblyopia, is an eye condition that is usually found to develop during early childhood. It is characterized by poor vision in one eye (in some rare cases, both eyes may be involved). Even though, it is an eye condition that can affect vision to some extent, the affected eye may be physically normal in most cases. It could be the brain that is responsible for lazy eye, which if not diagnosed and treated during the childhood itself, may lead to loss of vision in the affected eye (sometimes, in both eyes). It may also cause loss of depth perception.

More About Lazy Eye or Amblyopia

So, now you know that lazy eye or amblyopia is mostly associated with normal eyes. Then what is the reason for poor vision, if the eye is normal? In fact, all babies have poor eyesight. Vision development in babies takes place over a period of time. Normal development of vision in kids require both eyes to send clear and focused images to the brain. In case any of the eyes fail to do this, the brain will automatically favor the other one that sends clear images. The brain will reject the poor images sent by the affected eye and this inhibits vision development (of the affected eye) that can lead to partial or total loss of vision, if not treated properly.

In short, lazy eyes may develop in normal eyes, if there is any fault in the nerve pathways between the eye and the brain. In some cases, the affected eye may send poor images to the brain. This can be due to various conditions like strabismus, farsightedness, nearsightedness and cataract. So, if the eye is normal (which is commonly found in most of the amblyopia cases), lazy eyes can be caused by other problems like faulty nerves. This condition may also be seen in kids with certain eye problems, like strabismus. As the affected eye is found to be physically normal in most cases, there may be no point in remedial measures, like, glasses or contact lens. If detected early, this condition can be treated completely and if left untreated, it may lead to partial or total loss of vision.

Lazy Eye Symptoms and Treatment

Amblyopia or lazy eye can be caused in both normal as well as faulty eyes. In both cases, normal vision development is impaired, causing partial or total loss of vision, gradually. One of the common causes of lazy eye is strabismus (improper alignment between the eyes) or cross eye. Other causes include abnormality of the eyes, eye tumor, cataract, droopy lids, trauma, different vision in each eye (anisometropia). So, a crossed eye is one of the common symptoms of lazy eye. The affected child may also have poor vision and poor depth perception. Some of them may fail to focus their eyes properly and may tend to bump on objects on one side. In some cases, there may be no symptoms at all.

Lazy eye treatment is decided on the basis of the cause of the condition. In some cases, patches are used to cover the stronger eye, so that the condition of the weaker one improves. Even eye drops and lenses may be used to cover the stronger eye, so as to stimulate the weaker one. This may be prescribed for stipulated periods, as per the severity of the condition. In case the affected eye is having any problem like nearsightedness or farsightedness, corrective glasses or lenses may be sufficient. In case the weaker one is affected with cataract, strabismus, droopy eyelids, etc., surgery may be required as a treatment for lazy eye. Even certain medication like atropine is found to work in some cases.

The above said is only a brief overview about lazy eye or amblyopia. In most cases, early detection and treatment are found to be beneficial in curing the condition. It is said that lazy eye is best treated during childhood, but, even teenagers are found to be cured with proper treatment. So, make it a point to subject your kid to an eye examination between the age of three to five.