Lazy eye (Amblyopia) | Causes| Symptoms| Diagnosis| Treatment

Lazy Eye (Amblyopia)

Amblyopia occurs when there is a lack of vision in one eye because the eye and the brain are not working together. Leo Pia is an early childhood condition that develops because of abnormal visual experience that changes the nerve pathways between the retina and the brain when an individual has amblyopia.

The brain focuses more on one eye than the other the weaker eye receives fewer visual signals eventually the ability of the eyes to work together decreases and the brain ignores the visual input from the weaker eye. If the eye is not stimulated properly the nerve cell responsible for vision fails to mature normally. Amblyopia normally only affects one eye the affected eye appears normal but suffers from a decreased vision. 

It is the most common cause of decreased vision in a single eye among children. In rare cases, reduced visual acuity can occur in both eyes. Reduced vision can be avoided if amblyopia is detected early in life and promptly treated. If left untreated the condition can cause severe visual disability in the affected eye including legal blindness. it is estimated that 3 percent of children under 6 have some form of amblyopia.

 Causes

During the critical period birth to 6 years of age, it is important that both eyes receive a clear image. Anything that interferes with or obstructs vision in either eye during this period has the potential to cause the condition is because this is a child's developmental stage.

 common causes of amblyopia include

Strabismus

Which is an imbalance in the muscles that position the eye. This causes the eye to turn out or cross in making it difficult for both eyes to track objects together.  This type is called strabismus amblyopia is refractive.

Anisometropia amblyopia

Sometimes caused by the unequal refractive error between the two eyes for example one eye may suffer from incorrect 'dear sighted farsightedness or astigmatism and the other may not in such cases the brain relies on the eye with less incorrect at refractive error and ignores the blurred vision from the other eye. The eye which provides the brain with the clearer image becomes the dominant eye this type is called refractive amblyopia.

 Deprivation

 Results from an obstruction of light into the baby's eye. This may include congenital cataracts or corneal haziness in infancy this requires urgent treatment to prevent permanent mission loss this type is called deprivation amblyopia.

 Factors that can increase the risk of the condition include

1.  premature birth
2.  A family history of lazy eye 
3. Developmental disabilities 

symptoms 

1. poor vision in one eye
2. poor depth perception
3.  an eye that turns or wanders either upward downward outward or inward 
4. eyes that do not work together

 Diagnosis

 Diagnosis of the condition early is important preferably before the age of 6. An early eye check is equally important if there is a family history of crossed eyes childhood cataracts or other eye conditions. In developed nations children have their first eye examination between the ages of 3 & 5 years or before starting school. The doctor will conduct a thorough eye exam, checking for eye health, a wandering eye, a difference in vision between the two eyes, or poor vision in both eyes.

Treatment 

With early diagnosis and treatment improved sight in a lazy eye can be accomplished 

Treatment may include

1.  eye patches 

This involves patching or covering the dominant eye. This forces the weak eye to work harder naturally strengthening its ability to focus

1.  eyedrops 

An eye drop of a medication called atropine or a soap dough atropine may be given twice weekly this can temporarily blur vision in the dominant eye and encourages the child to use the weaker eye this is an alternative for wearing patches.

1. surgery 

To realign muscle in the eye corrective eyewear contact lenses or glasses can correct refractive errors such as nearsightedness farsightedness or astigmatism.

Written by Barsha Panth