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Amblyopia is a lack of developed central vision, and it usually occurs in only one eye. This eye is called amblyopic. About two to three percent of people have this condition, and it is often accompanied by strabismus. While amblyopia can be present in eyes that appear normal, the most common cause for amblyopia is a misaligned or turned eye. This condition is known as strabismic amblyopia and it is the easiest form for a parent to detect, as one or both of the child's eyes look off in different directions. When one eye is misaligned, the brain suppresses the image it receives from the eye. The child may also tilt his or her head or turn his or her face to try and obtain a single image. For certain types of strabismus, the eyes may appear normal, but cross as the child looks at an object close up or far away. Some forms of strabismus may be familial. One symptom of amblyopia is overall poor visual acuity and sometimes blurry images are seen.
Amblyopia generally develops before age six. Trauma to the eye at any age can also cause amblyopia, as well as a strong uncorrected refractive error (strong Myopia or Hyperopia) and strabismus. The visual system of the child is not fully developed at birth. The visual brain cells of a child are developing during their first decade of life. Any insult to the child's vision during this time period can lead to amblyopia. Childhood is the best time to correct amblyopia, because visual results are better with earlier treatment. Untreated amblyopia may lead to a total lack of vision in the affected eye. The brain "turns off" the blurred or crossed eye and sees only with the stronger eye. Amblyopia is unrelated to other eye health problems. An unequal refractive error in one or both eyes may also cause amblyopia. For example, one eye may be nearsighted while the other is farsighted, or one eye may have astigmatism while the other sees normally. These forms of amblyopia are known as anisometropic or isoametropic amblyopia. This form of amblyopia may be difficult to detect, because both eyes usually appear normal. Unfortunately, anisometropic amblyopia is most often diagnosed later in childhood when it is harder to correct. A third kind of amblyopia is deprivation amblyopia. This occurs when normally clear eye tissue becomes cloudy, preventing light from passing through and depriving the brain of a visual image. Looking through a cloudy lens or cornea is like trying to look out a window partially or fully covered by wax paper. The reasons for cloudy eye tissue can vary: A child may be born with a cloudy lens or develop one as a result of a blow to the eye. Other disorders that can cause amblyopia include glaucoma, eye tumors, eye inflammation or ptosis, which is drooping of the eyelid. These conditions can also deprive the brain of a clear visual image. Once your doctor determines what is causing your child's amblyopia, he or she will treat both the condition causing the amblyopia and the amblyopia itself. That is, the doctor will attempt to restore the normal equal function of both eyes, prevent one eye from dominating the other and restore depth perception. Treatment for amblyopia may occur before, after or during treatment for the underlying condition. In a nutshell the main causes of amblyopia are:
Amblyopia is not treatable with eyeglasses or contact lenses unless the cause is uncorrected vision. Treatment options include vision therapy, the correct prescription for Myopia or Hyperopia, or surgery. Vision therapy exercises the eyes and helps both eyes work as a team. Vision therapy for someone with amblyopia forces the brain to see through the amblyopic eye to restore vision.
Surgery is usually the last option for treatment, as it will correct only an underlying physical problem, such as strabismus, and not the amblyopia itself. Treating amblyopia is important, because the condition will not go away on its own. In fact, untreated amblyopia can lead to permanent visual problems and lack of depth perception. Keep in mind that if the stronger eye develops disease or becomes injured later in life, you'll be dependent on the untreated amblyopic eye, which provides very poor vision. The success of amblyopia treatment largely depends upon the motivation of parents and the cooperation of the child. Patching of the better eye, especially when the amblyopic eye has very poor vision is not tolerated well by the child. The parents have to understand the importance of this treatment and should explain the same to the child to ensure better cooperation. The other factors that determine the success of treatment are:
For information on Therapies, Medications and Surgery of Amblyopia: If you have additional questions or would like any further information, contact your ophthalmologist.
Source(s): All above information is based on: an article written by Gretchyn Bailey, allaboutvision.com, an article Dr. Christie L. Morse, drkoop.com and other information, images collected/created from various other sources. All rights reserved by respective owners. For our full credit and copyright information please view our Credit List.
Disclaimer: Any information displayed here is just for educational purposes, and may not be taken as an expert advice and should not be applied in life without consulting your eye doctor/specialist. We here by take no responsiblity of the accuracy of the above content as they have been taken from various sources. |
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