Amblyopia or lazy eye is when the vision in one of your eyes doesn’t develop how it should, leading to blurred vision in that eye. Without seeking the right treatment, your brain will learn to ignore the image that comes from the weaker eye and it will get ‘lazy; from lack of use. In the long run, it could lead to permanent vision problems.
It is normal to come across individuals who confuse amblyopia with strabismus. However, these two eye conditions are quite different. Strabismus is commonly known as crossed eyes. What this simply means is that your eyes point in different directions, more so when you’re tired or stressed.
Strabismus usually starts in childhood and sometimes, children who have it will squint in bright sunlight. Considering the eyes are looking in different directions, the brain struggles to combine the images from both eyes into one 3D image.
It is worth mentioning that there are different types of strabismus. In some types, the eyes turn in, whereas in others, they turn out, upward, or downward. Keep in mind strabismus can lead to amblyopia if left untreated. Close to 50% of children with strabismus get some type of vision loss due to amblyopia.
Spotting strabismus is quite easy, while amblyopia is not so easy for a layperson to see. In either instances, you’ll need a vision test for confirmation. You don’t grow out of strabismus. It has to be treated, usually by surgery, which is then followed by vision therapy to train the eyes to work together.
The main types of amblyopia you should know about include refractive, strabismic, visual deprivation, and occlusion. Understanding how each type of amblyopia appears goes a long way in making sure you seek the right treatment as soon as possible.
In a nutshell, refractive amblyopia happens when vision problems such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, or astigmatism, aren’t fixed, leading to problems seeing. You’re more likely to get these problems with farsightedness or astigmatism than with nearsightedness.
Strabismic amblyopia occurs when the eyes fail to align properly, so the brain ignores input form one eye to avoid double vision. This can cause you to have issues developing binocular vision, or the ability for both eyes to work together. These two eyes might be turned in different directions. Ensure you visit your eye doctor to determine if you’re experiencing any type of amblyopia.
