Amblyopia is a condition in which vision is decreased in one or both of the eyes because the brain and the eye(s) are not properly working together. This is also commonly known as having a lazy eye.
To see a clear image, both eyes need to work together to send identical images via nerve pathways from the eye to the brain. However, those with amblyopia have nerve pathways that aren’t properly stimulated, so at least one eye ends up seeing a blurry image. The brain then assumes that the amblyopic eye will only send blurry images, so it stops relying on that eye and begins to favor the other eye that can produce normal images.
Amblyopia is a problem of infant vision development, so anything that interferes with clear unobstructed vision in either eye during the critical period of visual and brain development can cause lazy eye. The most common causes during this critical period are:
- constant strabismus,
- differences in prescription between both eyes (anisometropia),
- very high refractive error such as hyperopia (farsightedness), myopia (nearsightedness), or astigmatism
- physical blockage of an eye.
Strabismus is when the eyes are misaligned and are not focusing at the same place. This is commonly known as crossed-eyed and can lead to amblyopia because the brain will suppress one eye to avoid confusion and double vision.
Amblyopia can also be a result of differences in prescription, whether it be differences in astigmatism, nearsightedness, farsightedness, etc. When one eye sees a blurry image and the other eye sees a clearer one, the brain will perceive two different images and can end up suppressing one eye to again avoid confusion.
Physical blockage of an eye (ie. lid droop, blocked tear duct) can reduce vision and the brain will opt to suppress the vision from that “bad” eye.
It may be difficult to spot these issues, especially in an infant/child, and you cannot physically see that there is something wrong with the visual and brain nerve pathways. Commonly, eye exams given by pediatricians and schools are only to determine a child’s visual acuity and miss a wide range of visual function testing. It is inadequate for detecting amblyopia. This is why it is important to bring your child in for yearly exams at an eye doctor’s office. Optometrists and ophthalmologists conduct comprehensive exams that include the detection of such visual conditions and disorders.
Patients with amblyopia usually cannot be completely cured with prescription glasses and contacts alone. Though that is certainly a good starting point. Amblyopia is a neurological condition. The brain is “used to” seeing a blurry image and needs to learn how to see better with that eye. A vision therapy program designed to stimulate the visual pathways from the less preferred eye and the brain can treat this. Vision therapy trains the eyes to work together equally as a team, enforces the emphasis of binocular vision, and improves visual information processing development.
If you feel that you or your child may have amblyopia, see your eye doctor right away. The quicker amblyopia is detected and treated, the better the results will be. Here at Insight Vision Center Optometry, our emphasis is in vision therapy and we are more than happy to see you and help you in any way we can!
Schedule a visit with Dr. Valerie Lam or Dr. Thanh Mai to learn more. Our optometry practice is located in Costa Mesa at 3151 Airway Ave. Suite J2, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
