What Is Amblyopia?

• Amblyopia occurs when one eye is not being used to its full potential. As the other eye becomes stronger, the images from the weaker eye are suppressed and the brain begins to rely on the images from the stronger eye.
  
  

What Causes Amblyopia?

• Amblyopia can be caused by strabismus, a problem in the alignment of the eyes. If your child has strabismus, his eyes may be crossed or may turn outward. Because it is difficult to see properly with eyes that are not correctly positioned, amblyopia may occur. Other conditions, such as one eye being more nearsighted or farsighted than the other or cataracts, can cause amblyopia. A cataract is the clouding of the lens inside the eye.
  
  

How Is Amblyopia Diagnosed?

• Ambylopia can be difficult to diagnose in babies and young children because there aren't always visible signs of the disorder. During routine examinations, your doctor will check that your child can follow objects with her eyes by alternately covering one eye. If your child has trouble seeing with one of her eyes, she may react by crying or trying to remove the patch from the stronger eye. During the examination, your doctor will also check for signs of strabismus or cataracts.
  
  

How Is Amblyopia Treated?

• Treatment involves encouraging your child to use the weaker eye. In some cases, your child may need eyeglasses to improve the focus in his eyes or correct nearsightedness or farsightedness. If wearing the glasses does not produce a significant improvement, the stronger eye may be patched for weeks or months to allow the weaker eye to strengthen. Patching may be used in combination with glasses. Depending on your doctor's instructions, the patch may be worn for several hours each day or may be used all day. If your child cannot tolerate wearing a patch, atropine drops may be recommended. Atropine drops cause a temporary blurring of vision in the stronger eye and stimulate vision in the weaker eye. While surgery will help improve the alignment of your child's eye if he has strabismus, he will still need treatment to improve the vision in his weaker eye. Vision therapy exercises may also be helpful in teaching your child how to use both eyes.
  
  

What Happens Without Treatment?

• Without treatment, your child may have trouble with depth perception and may experience a permanent visual impairment in the weaker eye. If the condition is not treated and the stronger eye is ever injured, your child may lose the remainder of her usable vision. Treatment is most effective during the early childhood years when connections between the brain and eyes are developing. While early treatment is the best choice, treating amblyopia in children ages 7 to 17 may still be beneficial, according to the National Eye Institute.