Amblyopia

Amblyopia in the News:

Children's Vision Care Takes Forefront in Congress (07/06)

VIP Study: Vision Screenings Still Get Failing Grade (01/06)

What is Amblyopia?
Amblyopia (or lazy eye) occurs when vision in one of the eyes is reduced because the eye and the brain are not working together properly. Amblyopia is the most common cause of visual impairment in childhood. It affects about 2% of adolescents. Amblyopia usually develops before the age of 6 and can persist for life if untreated. It causes more vision loss than trauma and all other ocular diseases.

Living with Amblyopia:
The child with amblyopia typically has normal vision in the other eye. They can experience problems with near eye-hand coordination. There is a very high risk for vision loss in the normal eye, and the risk for ocular injury is increased. This problem can affect learning in children. For more on this connection, click here.

Signs and Symptoms: of learning-related vision problems

frequent loss of place when reading
confuses similar looking words
poor reading comprehension
sloppy handwriting
failure to recognize the same word in the next sentence
complains of eyes hurting or headaches after reading
avoidance of close work
attention problems

Diagnosis:
Amblyopia can generally be easily diagnosed during comprehensive eye exams, but is often missed during vision screenings. For more on the basics of eye exams, click here.

Causes/Risk Factors:

Strabismus
born premature
low birth weight
cerebral palsy
mental retardation
family history
mother drinking or smoking during pregnancy

Prevention: Comprehensive eye exams are the most important component to ensuring overall healthy vision. It is especially important that children receive regular exams. To find an eye doctor in your area, use our Doctor Locator to the left.