Amblyopia

Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is a disorder of the eyes. It is characterised by poor or blurry vision that is not correctable with glasses in an eye that is otherwise physically healthy and normal. The problem is due to either no transmission or poor transmission of the visual image to the brain for a sustained period of dysfunction or disuse during early childhood. The condition will only arise at this young age because most of the visual system's development in humans is complete and "locked in" by a few years of age. Amblyopia normally only affects one eye, but it is possible to be amblyopic in both eyes if both are similarly deprived of a good, clear visual image.

Treatment and prognosis

Treatment consists of forcing use of the amblyopic eye either by patching or instilling topical atropine in the eye with better vision http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/amblyopia/index.asp.

Related Topics:
Patching - Topical - Atropine

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Although the best outcome is achieved if treatment is started before age 5, research has shown that children older than age 10 and some adults can show improvement in the affected eye. Children from 7 to 12 who wore an eye patch and performed near point activities (vision therapy) were four times as likely to show a two line improvement on a standard 11 line eye chart than amblyopic children who did not receive treatment. Children 13 to 17 showed improvement as well, albeit in smaller amounts than younger children. (NEI-funded Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group, 2005)

Related Topics:
Vision therapy - Eye chart

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