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Lazy Eye or Amblyopia
What is commonly known as lazy eyeis technically called amblyopia.
The amblyopia is a situation that can affect one or both eyes, in which there is a functional decrease in visual acuity without there being a visible anatomical alteration. In other words, when we examine the eyes, they are "healthy", but they do not see well.
It affects 2-5% of school-age children, and is the most easily treatable vision impairment.
It is caused by a lack of development in vision. When we are born, we don't see like an adult, but much worse, and vision develops in the first years of our lives as we grow up.
In order to explain the phenomenon of amblyopia I often use the simile of growth in height. Our species develops its vision until it is 8 or 10 years old, in the same way that it grows until it is 18 or 19 years old. If any cause affects the development of vision or growth in height, even if we treat it as an adult, we will not achieve much because both the period of visual development and the period of growth have been closed. Just as we will not get an adult to grow by treating a nutritional deficit as an adult, we will not get an eye to improve its vision ceiling by correcting a spectacle defect as an adult.
Early diagnosis is very important, because the earlier amblyopia is treated, the better the results. That is why it is essential to have children checked at an age when effective treatment is still possible. The child is unlikely to complain that he or she does not see well, because he or she has never seen better, it is his or her natural situation. This often surprises some parents, but... if they have never complained, we do not expect a child with amblyopia to complain that he or she does not see well.
The ideal age for the first check-up would be, if the parents notice something abnormal as soon as they notice it, but if apparently everything is fine, when the child cooperates, usually around the age of four.
Causes of amblyopia or lazy eye
Amblyopia usually occurs when a cause "blurs" the vision in one or both eyes.
Strabismus
If there is strabismusEach eye is looking at a different point in space, which generates a phenomenon known as confusion. To avoid this, amblyopia is developed as a defensive mechanism. The brain "chooses" to see with one eye, and the other eye becomes lazy, so there is no confusion.
Anisometropia
The anisometropia is the different spectacle prescription of the two eyes. When this difference is significant, amblyopia can develop. It is the most frequent cause
Stimulus deprivation
When there is an opacity in the eye that allows a quality image, such as the presence of a cataract, it can cause amblyopia.
Symptoms of Lazy Eye
The lazy eye as such, only shows a decrease in vision. The child, as we have explained above, is unlikely to complain that he or she does not see.
The causes of lazy eye can generate other symptoms, in addition to the amblyopiasuch as altered eye movements, headaches, etc.
Lazy eye treatment
First of all, we have to treat the cause. If a child has a spectacle defect that has resulted in a amblyopiaThe first step will be to send you glasses.
Once we have corrected the spectacle defect, by means of occlusions (patches), covering the good eye, we stimulate vision in the bad eye. The rate of occlusions will vary from child to child. Drops can also be used to "blur the vision in the good eye".
Once the amblyopic eye has recovered its vision with patching, a maintenance patch is usually left in place for some time to prevent relapses.
A variety of patches of different sizes are available from pharmacies. The patch is applied by sticking it to the skin. The child sometimes does not accept the patches well, because it means covering his or her good eye. When the child has the patch on, it is important that he/she is doing an activity of interest to him/her, not that he/she is half asleep.
In some cases, the collaboration of teachers is important in order to provide positive encouragement.
Lazy eye in Adults
In adults, we can no longer treat the lazy eye, we can only treat the cause that caused it. If the vision ceiling of a lazy eye is a 40% due to a spectacle defect, for example, if we intervene and remove the spectacle defect, the vision ceiling will still be a 40%, although in this case it will not need spectacles.
Do you have surgery for lazy eye?
The lazy eye does not have surgery. The cause can be treated surgically. For example, if a child has a congenital cataract, which is causing amblyopia, the cataract must be operated on.
How to detect a lazy eye?
An examination by an ophthalmologist is essential in order to detect it, with dilation of the pupils in order to properly graduate the child, and to rule out the presence of causes that lead to amblyopia.
If you live in the area of Fuengirola, Mijas, Torremolinos, Calahonda, Marbella, etc, we invite you to make an appointment at our Ophthalmology Clinic in Fuengirola, located in the heart of the city centre, equipped with the best technology and with excellent service and personalised treatment.