If you are having difficulty focusing, have an eye that wanders inward or outward without control or you get abnormal results on your vision screening tests, it’s quite possible that you have a lazy eye or Amblyopia. Although it is common in all ages, amblyopia is the leading cause of vision loss in people under the age of 20. If detected in the first decade, children can have full resolution of this condition, with only partial resolution between ages 12 and 18. It occurs when the eye is not coordinated with the brain, causing loss of vision and depth perception.

What is a Lazy Eye or Amblyopia?

In this condition, the brain is unable to fully acknowledge the images seen by the affected eye. It typically affects one eye – hence the term “lazy eye” – but may reduce vision in both eyes. About 3% of children under six are known to have some form of amblyopia. The condition has emotional repercussions as well as physical. It can make the person highly self-conscious and prone to social and psychological disorders. The condition emerges in the early stages of childhood, hence early diagnosis and timely treatment plays a crucial role in treating it. Medical professionals say that it becomes increasingly difficult to cure the ailment after the first decade of life.

How to Treat Lazy Eye?

Physicians recommend treatment as soon as the condition is diagnosed. If there is a delay, vision can rapidly deteriorate, even leading to blindness. It becomes more difficult to improve the lazy eye in the teen years, with very low probability of any improvement in vision after 20.

Amblyopia can be caused by strabismus, a condition where the eyes are misaligned. The strabismic eye is turned in, out, up or down so it does not focus on the object you are looking at, which can lead to amblyopia it not treated. Depending on the severity and type, both amblyopia and strabismus can be treated by glasses, patch therapy or surgery. In the case of surgery, there are two options to correct a lazy eye:

  • By detaching the eye muscle and then re-attaching it a little further away from the front of the eye to weaken the muscle and help align the eyes.
  • By resection or removing a part of the eye muscle to strengthen it and encourage proper alignment.

An effective way to treat the condition is by starting young (under age 6) through special glasses or eye patches. As the child gets older, it gets harder to reduce it significantly.

Dr. Damanjit Johal Optometry, BC Vision Care

Early detection offers the best cure. Make sure your children are taken for timely vision examination right from infanthood and early preschool years. It takes more than a general eye chart screening to detect amblyopia and other visual conditions that are mistaken for lazy eye.

Whether you are looking for special glasses, fashionable luxury, and designer eyewear, or sunglasses, our consult experts at Vision Care Centre can help you choose the right frames and lenses to fit your specific needs. We have an impressive collection of eyewear including frames, glasses, lenses, and contact lenses from all manufacturers available in the marketplace at some of the best prices in Langley. We also have a highly experienced fully qualified team of Optometrists, Dispensing Opticians, and Optometric Assistants who are committed to meeting all possible ocular needs promptly and efficiently. Call us to schedule an appointment for a check-up or to check out any eye condition.