Lazy Eye

Lazy eye is the most common eye condition that affects children under the age of 15, and it can lead to severe issues if not managed.

Lazy eye

Lazy eye occurs when the vision in one eye is reduced due to an abnormal visual development while growing up. It usually develops from birth up to 7 years old. Lazy eye causes the brain to rely on the strong eye more than the lazy one, and this causes the lazy eye to become weaker with time.

Causes and risk factors of lazy eye

Lazy eye occurs as a result of a change in the nerve pathway between the retina and the brain. The causes include:

• Refractive amblyopia (differences in the sharpness of vision between the two eyes).
• Strabismus amblyopia (muscle imbalance), and it’s the most common cause.
• Structural eye conditions, such as cataracts, droopy eyelids, and problems with the cornea.
• The risk of lazy eye increases due to the following factors: low birth weight, premature birth, family history, and developmental delays.

Symptoms of lazy eye

The eyes appear as if they aren’t working together.

• Poor depth perception.
• One eye might wander inward or outward.
• Shutting one eye or squinting a lot.
• Favoring one side of the body.
• Tilting the head to one side.
• Lazy eye can lead to permanent vision loss in the affected eye if not managed.

Diagnosis of lazy eye

• Eye exam.

Treatment of lazy eye

• Wearing an eye patch on the strong eye to make the brain use the lazy eye to strengthen it.
• Eyeglasses to correct the vision issue.
• Eye drops.
• Surgery in some cases.