According to doctors, lazy eye (or amblyopia) is the leading cause of visual impairment in children. It is characterized by a reduction in the vision of one eye, sometimes accompanied by an abnormal alignment of the weaker one, which can deviate inwards or outwards. Research shows that treating this condition is most effective if started early, so you need to go to your ophthalmologist for regular checkups or if you have symptoms associated with lazy eye. Early signs may include squinting, squinting or covering one eye, and tilting the head to see better. However, don't worry because with the right treatment it is possible to correct this defect.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Treating the Lazy Eye in Minor Severity Cases
Step 1. Find out about this defect
Lazy eye is a term used to define a pathological condition called "amblyopia", which most often develops in children under the age of 7. It is characterized by the greater visual acuity of one eye and the automatic reaction of the subject to prefer the stronger eye over the weaker one (i.e. the child gradually begins to favor the use of the eye with which he sees better). As a result, the vision of the eye affected by this condition decreases due to incomplete development of vision, which worsens over time (if the disorder is not treated).
- It is for this reason that it is crucial to diagnose and treat amblyopia early. The sooner it is identified and treated, the better the results and the faster the correction.
- Usually, amblyopia has no long-term consequences, especially if it is diagnosed early and is not serious (i.e. in the vast majority of cases).
- Keep in mind that, over time, as the healthy eye continues to strengthen in relation to the disuse of the lazy one, the lazy one begins to misalign. In other words, when you look at the child or when the ophthalmologist visits him, one eye (the weak one) seems to deviate to one side, without focusing on the required object or somehow "not perfectly straight".
- Misalignment is a fairly common sign of amblyopia, and the problem typically resolves with proper treatment following diagnosis.
Step 2. Consult your ophthalmologist
Since amblyopia is a condition generally diagnosed in children, if you suspect your child may be suffering from it, you should immediately take him to the eye doctor. To be able to detect lazy eye, have your baby undergo a comprehensive eye exam when he is still small - some doctors recommend this at six months, three years, and every two years thereafter.
Although the prognosis is usually favorable in younger subjects, new experimental techniques have shown promise in adults as well. Check with your doctor or eye doctor for the latest treatment options
Step 3. Put on an ocular occluder
In cases where one eye is amblyopic and the other is perfectly normal, occlusive therapy is required which involves closing the healthy eye with a patch or a special band. In this way, the brain is forced to use the lazy eye which gradually recovers a few tenths of vision. For children under 7-8 years of age, patches are the best solution. Usually the occluder is kept for 3-6 hours a day and the treatment can last from a few weeks up to a year.
- Your ophthalmologist may recommend applying it when performing activities that require concentration, such as reading and schoolwork, but also in other circumstances where you need to visually focus on nearby objects.
- The occluder can be combined with the use of eyeglasses.
Step 4. Use the eye drops prescribed by your eye doctor
Usually, atropine is used to inhibit the vision of the healthy eye in order to force the weaker to work. This treatment uses the same principle as the occluder: to induce the lazy eye to commit to increasing its vision.
- Eye drops are a great alternative for children who are reluctant to use the occluder (and vice versa). However, it is ineffective if the non-amblyopic eye is nearsighted.
-
Atropine carries mild side effects, including:
- Eye irritation;
- Redness of the eye area;
- Headache.
Treat a Lazy Eye Step 5 Step 5. Use corrective glasses
In general, special lenses are prescribed to improve the focus of the eyes and correct their misalignment. In some cases, especially when myopia, hyperopia and / or astigmatism favor amblyopia, eyeglasses can completely solve the problem. In others, however, they can be used in combination with other treatments aimed at correcting this disorder. Consult your ophthalmologist if you are interested in wearing prescription glasses to treat lazy eye.
- Even children can wear contact lenses instead of glasses, as long as they are the right age.
- Please note that, initially, those with amblyopia may have difficulty seeing when wearing glasses because the brain is used to incorrectly processing visual input and therefore needs time to gradually adjust to "normal" vision.
Part 2 of 2: Treating the Lazy Eye in Higher Severity Cases
Treat a Lazy Eye Step 6 Step 1. Consider surgery
If non-surgical treatments are ineffective, it is possible to have surgery that can align the eyes. It is an option to consider when amblyopia is caused by a cataract. Later, if necessary, you can resort to the use of the ocular occluder, eye drops or glasses, but if the operation has produced excellent results, it may be sufficient.
Treat a Lazy Eye Step 7 Step 2. Perform eye exercises as directed by your eye doctor
It is possible that you are prescribed before or after surgery to correct incorrect visual habits and acquire proper and smooth use of the eyes.
Since amblyopia is accompanied by a weakening of the eye muscles corresponding to the lazy eye, some exercises may be needed to strengthen them, in order to rebalance the situation
Treat a Lazy Eye Step 8 Step 3. Get regular eye checks
Once the defect has been corrected surgically or with other therapies, be aware that it may recur in the future. Then, undergo periodic eye exams according to the directions given to you to prevent the problem from recurring.
Advice
- Eye examination in cycloplegia is required to diagnose amblyopia in children.
- Go to the ophthalmologist for a visit and a diagnosis.
- Improvements are possible at any age, but appreciable progress is achieved when amblyopia is treated in childhood.
