Alternative Names
Lazy eye
Definition of Amblyopia
Amblyopia, or “lazy eye,” is the loss of one eye’s ability to see details. It is the most common cause of vision problems in children.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Amblyopia occurs when the nerve pathway from one eye to the brain does not develop during childhood. This occurs because the abnormal eye sends a blurred image or the wrong image to the brain.
Signs and tests
Amblyopia is usually easily diagnosed with a complete examination of the eyes. Special tests are usually not needed.
Treatment
First, any eye condition that is causing poor vision in the amblyopic eye (such as cataracts) needs to be corrected.
Expectations (prognosis)
Children who get treated before age 5 will usually recover almost completely normal vision, although they may continue to have problems with depth percention.
Review
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Franklin W. Lusby, MD, Ophthalmologist, Lusby Vision Institute, La Jolla, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. – 8/12/2010
