Does your child complain about having blurry eyes? Moms Need to Be Watchful

What is lazy eye, or amblyopia?

Lazy eye is a permanent disorder that is caused by abnormalities in normal vision development during childhood that result in poor vision in one or both eyes.

 

What leads to lazy eye, or amblyopia?

Lack of clear vision resulting from improper brain development of the visual system is known as lazy eye (amblyopia). For optimal development, the human brain requires visual stimulation. Anything that obscures or obstructs a child's ability to see clearly can result in amblyopia during the period of development from birth to age eight.

Tall spectacles (astigmatism, hyperopia, and myopia), crossed eyes (strabismus), and anything that blocks one eye's visual axis (drooping eyelid, infantile cataract) are common causes.

Lazy eye (amblyopia) usually only affects one eye, but if both eyes lack good and clear vision for a prolonged period, the condition can occur in both eyes. Early diagnosis increases the chances of successful treatment, because after age 8, visual damage can become permanent.

 

How can parents determine whether their child has amblyopia, or sluggish eyes?

Amblyopia is a condition that often goes undiagnosed in children since the affected eyes rarely complain of vision problems (for example during an eye examination at school). Sometimes parents become aware that their child appears to have one eye out of alignment with the other, a condition known as strabismus, or crossed eyes.

In these specific cases (strabismus, drooping eyelids, obstruction of the visual axis), your doctor will need to monitor your child's eyesight on a frequent basis to determine whether amblyopia is present.

 

Children who are susceptible to lazy eye (amblyopia)

The following conditions put your child at higher risk:

- Significant astigmatism, myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness)

- There is a noticeable disparity in the size of the spectacles between the two eyes

- Vision issues brought on by congenital defects, such as cataracts, eye injuries, or drooping eyelids (ptosis)

- Strabismus, or crossed eyes in the absence of use of the misaligned eyes

 

What kinds of Amblyopia (Lazy Eye) treatments are available?

Initially, in the event that the child's glasses size is atypical, the right pair of glasses must be provided for them to wear consistently. The next step is to urge kids to use the lazy eye.

Closing the good eye is often how this is accomplished, usually for a few hours per day. Early intervention often results in better outcomes, although treatment might take several months or even years. It may not be feasible to reverse the visual impairment caused by amblyopia if it is discovered later (after the age of eight, for example). As a result, getting your child's eyes examined is crucial.

 

Mothers, please see an eye specialist at Hermina Hospital in Soreang right away if your child exhibits any of these symptoms.

To facilitate registration at Hermina Soreang Hospital, download the Hermina Mobile Apps app.