Amblyopia

 

What is Amblyopia?

Amblyopia is the medical term used when the vision in one of the eyes is reduced because the eye and the brain are not working together properly. The eye itself looks normal, but it is not being used normally because the brain is favoring the other eye. The most common cause of permanent one-eye vision impairment among children and young and middle-aged adults. An estimated 2%–3% of the population suffer from amblyopia. Over time, the brain relies more and more on the other, stronger eye, while vision in the weaker eye gets worse. It’s called “lazy eye” because the stronger eye works better. Amblyopia starts in childhood, and it’s the most common cause of vision loss in kids. Up to 3 out of 100 children have it. The good news is that early treatment works well and usually prevents long-term vision problems.

Can we identify it early?

Symptoms of amblyopia can be hard to notice. Kids with amblyopia may have poor depth perception. Parents may also notice signs that their child is struggling to see clearly, like:

• Squinting

• Shutting 1 eye

• Tilting their head

The chances of having amblyopia are higher in kids who:

• Were born early (premature)

• Were smaller than average at birth

• Have a family history of amblyopia, childhood cataracts, or other eye conditions

• Have developmental disabilities

What causes it?

Sometimes, a different vision problem can lead to amblyopia. Normally, the brain uses nerve signals from both eyes to see. But if an eye condition makes vision in 1 eye worse, the brain may try to work around it. It starts to “turn off” signals from the weaker eye and rely only on the stronger eye.

• Refractive errors-: 

Nearsightedness (having trouble seeing far away), farsightedness (having trouble seeing things up close), and astigmatism (which can cause blurry vision). Normally, these problems are easy to fix with glasses or contacts. But if they’re not treated, the brain may start to rely more on the eye with stronger vision.

What are the treatments?

If someone has refractive errors, they should wear glasses or lenses. The next step is to re-train the brain and force it to use the weaker eye. The more the brain uses it, the stronger it gets. Treatments include:

Wearing an eye patch on the stronger eye so that the brain has to use the weaker eye to see. Some kids only need to wear the patch for 2 hours a day, while others may need to wear it whenever they're awake.

A once-a-day drop of the drug atropine to the stronger eye can temporarily blur near vision, which forces the brain to use the other eye. For some kids, this treatment works as well as an eye patch.

Treatments need to be done in the early stage, before it is too late.

Penned By K.M.Veenavee Anuththara