Lazy eye
Symptoms
- The eye wanders inward/outward
- Poor depth perception
- See
Diagnostics
Determined by a thorough eye examination
Treatment
- Covering the lazy eye
What is a lazy eye?
Lazy eye, also known as amblyopia, is a relatively common condition among children and occurs when vision is not yet fully developed, usually in one eye, meaning that one eye is weaker than the other. Children’s poor vision can develop for a variety of reasons; good neural connections to the brain, which are not yet fully developed in children, are essential for good vision.
What are the symptoms of lazy eye?
There are many signs and symptoms that can help identify a lazy eye, but quite often it is only detected during an eye examination.
Symptoms:
- The eye wanders inwards or outwards;
- Poor depth perception;
- Squinting or closing the eye.
Without an eye examination, it can be difficult to tell if a child has a lazy eye, especially if they are too young to tell what their vision is like. There is one way to check for yourself: a child may be happy if you cover their ‘bad’ eye, but if you cover their ‘good’ eye, they may push your hand to the side.
What causes a lazy eye?
We are all born with low vision, but it develops steadily throughout childhood until we are about eight years old. In order to develop the neural pathways that ensure good vision, it is important that the brain receives clear images through the eyes during childhood. In some children, these pathways do not develop properly, so vision in one eye can be blurred even with glasses or contact lenses.
The development of lazy eye can be caused by:
- Myopia or hyperopia in one eye;
- Strabismus – when the eye muscles don’t work properly and one eye looks either inwards or outwards;
- Disorders affecting light transmission to the eye, such as congenital cataracts.
How is the diagnosis of a lazy eye made?
A lazy eye is diagnosed during an eye examination. The earlier the diagnosis is made, the easier the treatment, so we recommend that you start checking your child’s eyesight when they are 3, 4 or 5 years old.
More complex cases of lazy eye may go undetected during the school eye examination, which is why it is better to have a comprehensive eye examination by a specialist.
If you are worried about your child’s eyesight or would like more information about lazy eye, visit your eye specialist.
What help is available?
Treatment will depend on the cause of the condition, but in most cases, lazy eye is treatable in young children.
If the lazy eye is caused by myopia or hyperopia in one eye, a pair of spectacles with a cap can be prescribed to correct the vision. The healthy eye is covered with a lid to allow the lazy eye to function independently. This is a gradual process over many months.
If the occurrence of a lazy eye is related to a light transmission disorder, such as a cataract, then this disease will need to be treated first.
Treatment is most effective in children under 8 years of age; as the child grows, treatment becomes more difficult. Therefore, it is essential to diagnose a lazy eye as early as possible in order to achieve good treatment results.
Take care of your eyes!
Visit your nearest Optikos pasaulio showroom or register for an ophthalmologist consultation at Familia Clinica in Vilnius (Nemenčinės pl. 4D) and get a 15% discount with your Optikos pasaulio loyalty card.
Frequently asked questions
Ar tingi akis yra tas pats kas žvairumas?
Tingi akis, dar vadinama ambliopija, atsiranda tada, kai regėjimas vystosi netinkamai. Tuo tarpu žvairumas reiškia būklę, kai akys žiūri priešingomis kryptimis.
Ar žvairumas gali pareiti pats savaime?
Žvairumas savaime nepraeina. Jei nerimaujate dėl savo ar vaiko akių sveikatos būklės, turėtumėte apsilankyti pas savo bendrosios praktikos gydytoją.
Ar strabizmas yra tas pats kaip žvairumas?
Taip, strabizmas yra alternatyvus terminas žvairumui.
