Amblyopia (Lazy Eye) Treatment
Amblyopia, also called “lazy eye,” is an eye condition that develops in early childhood, when the brain begins to “ignore” images from one eye. Left untreated during the early vision development years — generally up to around age nine — these neurological pathways can become permanent, resulting in lifelong reduced vision.
Request an AppointmentAmblyopia Symptoms May Include
- Squinting or closing one eye to see clearly
- Poor depth perception and contrast perception
- Poor visual acuity in general
Amblyopia is often difficult to diagnose in children since they usually don’t realize they have a vision problem. During a comprehensive eye exam, our doctors test each eye individually and observe how a child responds to visual tasks. Amblyopic patients often struggle with three-dimensional image tests.
Several Conditions Lead to Amblyopia
- Strabismus (crossed eye): The eyes are misaligned and don’t focus on the same target. The brain adapts by ignoring the image from the misaligned eye to prevent double vision. Surgery may be needed to correct strabismus, but the weaker eye must also be treated for amblyopia.
- Refractive discrepancy: The eyes have markedly different levels of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. The blurrier eye is ignored by the brain. This can often be treated with corrective lenses, though amblyopia treatment is frequently still needed.
- Eye clouding or obstruction: Trauma, congenital cataract, scarring, or anything else preventing a clear image can cause the brain to stop using that eye. The underlying obstruction must be addressed, often surgically, before amblyopia treatment can begin.
Treatment
Whatever the cause, treating amblyopia requires therapy that encourages the child to use the weaker eye. The most common approach is patching the stronger eye — worn full-time or intermittently over a period of a week or longer, until the weaker eye catches up. Alternately, we may prescribe a blurring lens or atropine eye drops, which prevent the dominant eye from focusing clearly, achieving the same goal of forcing use of the weaker eye.
Treatment during early childhood often reverses amblyopia, though it’s common for the condition to recur during this period and require additional rounds of treatment. Once a child passes age nine, successfully treated amblyopia usually does not relapse. It becomes considerably harder to treat amblyopia in older patients, though treatment can still be worthwhile beyond early childhood.
If your child is showing any symptoms of amblyopia, contact Louisiana Eye Specialists today to schedule a consultation. Regular pediatric eye exams are the best way to catch amblyopia early, when treatment works best.
Request an AppointmentAmblyopia (Lazy Eye) FAQs
At what age is amblyopia treatment most effective?
Treatment works best before age nine, while the visual pathways between the eye and brain are still developing.
Can amblyopia be treated in adults?
It becomes significantly more difficult, though some older patients can still see improvement depending on the underlying cause.
How is amblyopia diagnosed?
It’s usually caught during a routine comprehensive eye exam, since children rarely recognize a vision problem on their own.
Is patching the only treatment option?
No. Depending on the cause, we may also recommend corrective lenses, blurring drops, or address an underlying obstruction like a congenital cataract.
Can amblyopia come back after treatment?
Yes, relapse is common during early childhood and may require another round of treatment. It’s less likely to recur once treated successfully after age nine.
How often should my child have their eyes checked?
We recommend a first comprehensive eye exam around age one, another before starting school, and regular checks throughout the school years.