Amblyopia is an eye condition that is also called lazy eye. This condition most commonly impacts one eye, but it can also affect the health of both eyes. The condition develops from a disconnect in the communication between the eye and the brain. There are some solutions to this condition that might help reduce the discomfort and symptoms related to it, especially in mild cases.
The common symptoms of amblyopia come on slowly. Part of the trouble with identifying this condition early is that it usually develops in young children who are not yet reading or doing activities that make their vision challenges obvious. Children with amblyopia might not show significant symptoms of a lazy eye until the condition is more advanced. Early warning signs of this condition include:
This condition can grow worse over time until the eye visibly wanders and does not look in the same direction as the other eye. Some people with amblyopia never experience acute symptoms, however. In these cases, the symptoms of amblyopia can sometimes mimic more common vision issues. Symptoms of more advanced cases of amblyopia are:
The cause of amblyopia is poorly understood. The brain is intended to use both eyes to see clearly and with amblyopia, there is a disconnect between the eye and the brain. Nerve signals are sent back and forth between the eyes and the brain, telling the brain to use both eyes to judge distance from objects, the appearance of things, and depth.
However, when amblyopia is present, only one eye works normally. This eye starts to take on all the work for the other eye, weakening the eye that is being “shut off”. In advanced cases with the visible wandering of the lazy eye, the brain is no longer sending messages to the lazy eye to ask it to look where the person is going or to focus on tasks.
It is believed that some other eye conditions can lead to amblyopia. These conditions are refractive errors which are common when someone cannot see well up close or far away. These problems can often be fixed with glasses or contacts, but if they are not treated, the brain might start to depend upon just one eye to see clearly.
Strabismus causes the eyes to be out of alignment with one another and can lead to a lazy eye as well. Cataracts can also cause this condition due to the way that they obscure the vision of the person suffering from them.
Risk factors for amblyopia are:
An ophthalmologist can diagnose amblyopia through a variety of means. The most common test will be a basic vision test that is done alongside checks to verify that both of the eyes of the patient can track objects in space together. Covering one eye and asking the child to read an eye chart can also reveal differences in the strength of the eyes.
In some cases, the eye will visibly behave differently than the other eye that is doing all the work. This can be a good indicator that amblyopia is the root cause, but tests might need to be done to check brain health, like an MRI or CAT scan in these cases. If your child has suffered a head injury recently as well, more tests might be needed before providing a diagnosis for the problem.
When Amblyopia is caught early, it can often be corrected. This is done by having the patient wear a mask or patch over the stronger eye. This forces the weaker eye to be used correctly to see where the person is going and to see what they are doing. This can re-establish the brain-eye connection. Special drops can be used in the stronger eye as well to make it weaker. This can help to encourage the use of both eyes.
Vision therapy might also be recommended to help retrain the connection between the eyes and the brain. People of all ages can benefit from this form of physical therapy and improve their vision that has been impacted by amblyopia.
Prevention of amblyopia is not usually possible since there is no known root cause for the condition. Making sure that your eyes are checked each year is key, and wearing glasses or contacts when they have been prescribed can protect your eyes from being damaged by eye strain and fatigue.