Lazy eye
A lazy eye condition affects children, where their vision will not develop properly. The medical term for the condition is amblyopia. It can also develop in both eyes when they cannot build a solid link to the brain, but the lazy eye often affects just one eye, and the child will rely more on the good eye.
Lazy eye symptoms
Typically, the lazy eye doesn’t come with any symptoms. So younger children are often unaware of anything wrong with their vision, and even if they are, they probably won’t be able to explain. In some instances, you can notice that one eye looks different from the other. The following are usual signs of other conditions that can lead to a lazy eye:
- Squint: The weaker eye will look outwards, inwards, downwards, or upwards when the other looks normal.
- Hyperopia (long-sightedness), Myopia (short-sightedness), and astigmatism.
- Childhood cataracts: Cloudy patches in the lens that sits behind the iris and pupil.
If your child is young and unable to tell the difference better good and bad vision, one at a time, cover each eye with your hand.
They may object to covering the good one and not mind when you cover the lazy eye.
Lazy eye causes
Poor brain connections are the primary reason for lazy eyes. Proper connections from the brain help to see a clear image. Other causes of a lazy eye are:
- Reduced amount of light entering
- Lack of focus
- Confusion between the eyes
Lazy eye treatments
Leaving the lazy eye untreated can lead to the central vision never coming back to normal levels.
Lazy eye treatments are more effective among young children, but it’s uncertain among children who are over 8. The treatments are usually a gradual process that can take months.
Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
Page last reviewed: 16 JULY 2022