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Amblyopia |
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Amblyopia ("am-blee-oh-pee-ah")
What is amblyopia?
Amblyopia is an eye problem that causes poor vision in children. The problem starts when the pathways of vision in the brain don't grow strong enough. Pathways are a little like roads--they carry vision messages from eye to brain. Amblyopia is also called "lazy eye."
What causes amblyopia?
Anything that happens to blur the vision or cause the eyes to be crossed during childhood may cause amblyopia. Children who need glasses to see better, or have cataracts, a droopy eyelid, or crossed or wandering eyes may get amblyopia. About 5% of children have amblyopia.
How is amblyopia treated?
Because there are several causes of amblyopia, the treatment must match the problem. Glasses fix some problems. Surgery may be needed for cataracts, droopy eyelids or crossed eyes. After the cause of the amblyopia is found, the child will need to use the weaker eye more, so it will get stronger. To make the child use the weaker eye, a patch can be put over the stronger eye.
Why is early treatment important?
The vision pathways in the brain must become strong early, when children are very young. The first few years of life are the most important for eyesight. If amblyopia isn't treated during childhood, the child will have poor vision for life. It won't be possible to fix it with glasses. |
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