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What is Amblyopia?
Amblyopia is reduced vision in an eye that has not received adequate
use during early childhood. It is estimated that two to three percent
of the general population suffers from this form of visual impairment.
If not treated early enough, an amblyopic eye may never develop good
vision and may even become functionally blind.
Amblyopia, also known as "lazy eye," has many causes. Most often,
it results from either a misalignment of a child's eyes, such as
crossed eyes, or a difference in image quality between the two eyes
(one eye focusing better than the other). In both cases, one eye
becomes stronger, suppressing the image of the other eye. If this
condition persists, the weaker eye may become useless. With early
diagnosis and treatment, however, the sight in this "lazy eye" can be
restored. The earlier the treatment, the better the opportunity to
reverse the vision loss.
What Treatment is Available?
Before treating amblyopia, it may be necessary to treat first the
underlying cause, such as misaligned eyes (strabismus) or poor focusing
in one eye.
- GLASSES are commonly prescribed to improve focusing or
misalignment of the eyes.
- SURGERY may be performed on the eye muscles to straighten the eyes
if non-surgical means are unsuccessful. Surgery can help in the
treatment of amblyopia by allowing the eyes to work together better.
It may be necessary for the surgery to be repeated.
- EYE EXERCISES (orthoptics), a limited form of treatment, may be
recommended either before or after surgery to correct faulty visual
habits associated with strabismus and to teach comfortable use of the
eyes.
Along with correcting the underlying cause of amblyopia, it is
necessary to strengthen the vision in the weak eye. This may be done
by:
- PATCHING or covering one eye may be required for a period of time
ranging from a few weeks to as long as a year. The better-seeing eye
is patched, forcing the "lazy" one to work, thereby strengthening its
vision. Regular visits to the eye specialist are necessary to measure
improvement in the amblyoptic eye. The greatest improvements come
when patching is started before the child is 3 years old. This
treatment may be recommended, however, at any time--especially before
6 years of age.
- MEDICATION in the form of eye drops or ointment may be used to
blur the vision of the good eye in order to force the weaker one to
work. This is generally a less successful approach.
Why is Prompt Treatment Important?
The preschool years are critical ones in the development of a
child's vision. By the time a child is 5 or 6, vision is usually at
the normal adult level.
Without treatment of amblyopia, the unused eye will lose vision,
possibly leading to a permanent reduction of sight. With early
detection and treatment before the age of 3, the prospect for the
recovery of vision is excellent; approximately 95 percent. After the
age of 6, however, vision usually cannot be totally corrected. By the
age of 9 or 10, the chances of correcting amblyopia are regarded as
slight, although some children in their teens have experienced a
reversal in their vision loss.
Proper treatment along with cooperative parents who understand the
problem and show patience and love toward the child, usually result in
a successful outcome in restoring vision.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
A condition of amblyopia that persists and is untreated until the
age of 6 usually will result in some permanent visual impairment.
Thus, it is important that parents look for signs of possible eye
trouble including: tilting of the head; drifting of an eye when the
child is either tired, ill or in bright light; any tendency to close
one eye, especially in sunlight; rubbing of the eyes; excessive
blinking; holding objects very close to the eyes or favoring one eye.
If parents notice such behavior, their child's vision should be
examined professionally.
Vision problems are not uncommon in young children. In fact,
preschool vision screening programs shows that one child in 20, between
the ages of 3 and 5, has some kind of eye problem. A professional eye
examination for every child, including those who do not display any
signs of eye trouble, is recommended shortly after birth, at 6 months
of age, before entering school (age 4 or 5) and periodically
throughout the school years. Screening evaluations (in schools,
nurseries, etc.) are very useful but are not substitutes for complete
professional examinations.