Amblyopia is an eye condition that affects vision in one eye, mainly occurring in infants or very young children. Rarely, vision in both eyes is affected. In amblyopia, due to abnormal visual development early in life, the brain cannot recognise sight with one eye. Therefore, one eye has blurred vision while the other has clear vision. Over time, the brain relies on the eye with clear vision to see, and the vision from the blurred eye becomes worse. The weaker eye, also called the lazy eye, often wanders inward or outward. Symptoms of amblyopia include poor depth perception, head tilting, shutting or squinting an eye, and problems with the eyes working together. We’ll delve into the causes of amblyopia in this article.
How is Amblyopia (Lazy Eye) Caused?
Abnormal visual experiences in early life can alter the nerve pathways between retinal tissue and the back of the brain, resulting in the development of lazy eyes. As the weaker eye receives fewer visual signals from the brain, its ability to work decreases, and the brain starts suppressing or ignoring input from the weaker eye. Any problem with the eye that turns out the eye or blurs the vision can result in amblyopia. Causes of lazy eye includes:
- Muscle imbalance: Muscle imbalance can also occur due to strabismus, a condition in which the eyes do not line up in the same direction. Strabismus is usually due to an imbalance in muscle positioning that causes the eyes to cross or turn out and hinders them from working together. The exact cause of the strabismus is unknown, but mostly, this defect in eye muscle is hereditary.
- Refractive amblyopia: A significant difference in sharpness of vision between the eyes due to farsightedness, near-sightedness, or an uneven curve of the eye is one of the causes of amblyopia. In some children, both refractive problems and strabismus are present and result in lazy eyes. This type of vision problem can usually be fixed by wearing glasses or contact lenses.
- Deprivation: This occurs when vision in one eye is unclear due to a condition like congenital cataract, corneal ulcer, eye injury, droopy eyelid, or eye injury Physical problems with eye vision make the eye weaker and prevent the eye from seeing. If deprivation amblyopia occurs in infants, urgent treatment is required to prevent permanent vision loss.
- Risk factors for the development of lazy eye or amblyopia include premature birth, developmental problems, family history of amblyopia, and small birth size.
Conclusion:
Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, is a condition that primarily affects one eye during infancy or early childhood but rarely impacts both eyes. Factors that cause lazy eye include muscle imbalance and refractive issues (like farsightedness or near-sightedness), among others. Consult with your doctor if your child shows signs of lazy eye. For most children, proper treatment boosts vision within weeks to months and treatment might take six months to two years. Having a health insurance policy can help cover the costs of eye check-ups and treatment, ensuring timely care for your child's vision.
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