Lazy Eye (Amblyopia)

Amblyopia is an eye condition that most people know more simply as having a lazy eye. This condition generally develops after birth and will continue to develop until a child reaches about seven or eight years old. The condition causes the lack of vision in one eye due to the brain ignoring the image from one eye, the amblyopic eye, and the most apparent symptom of this condition is that amblyopic eye looking in a direction other than the primary eye. It used to be that lazy eye was only treatable if you caught it young, but today an exciting number of new ophthalmology treatments are available at Holicki Eye Centers & Optical and make it possible for people of all ages to enjoy correct vision alignment.

Causes and Available Treatments for Lazy Eye

With locations in Sturgis, Angola, and Coldwater, our team of eye doctors regularly see both children and adults who have a lazy eye. When we see a new patient, we'll use age and the underlying cause of the lazy eye to determine the best treatment plan for him or her. There are three main causes for a lazy eye:

• A muscle imbalance between the two eyes. 
• Different refractive errors in each eye that leads to one eye being stronger than the other.
• An early cataract in one eye that leads to the other becoming stronger.

Once diagnosed, we can begin with one of the following treatment options:

• Eye patches: Eye patches are most effective for young kids as it gets placed over the good eye and forces the muscles in the lazy eye to develop with the child. For kids who need eyeglasses, a patch can be placed on the necessary side of the glasses but is generally not as effective as the patch itself. Eye patches may be effective for some adults but it can be harder for the brain and eyes to readjust.
• Atropine eye drops: Here, eye drops are used to blur the vision in the good eye and, similar to the eye patch, forcing the lazy eye to become stronger and better connected with the brain for visual signals.
• Strabismus or cataract surgery: Adults with a lazy eye will commonly require surgery if the condition was caused by poor muscle development as a child or by an emerging cataract. Strabismus surgery is a surgery that either repairs a detached eye muscle (to strengthen the nondominant eye) or removes a portion of a loose muscle (to weaken the dominant eye).

Schedule Your Visit With Our Eye Doctor Today to Learn More

Do you or your child suffer from a lazy eye? With today's technologies, you shouldn't let this affect you any longer. Visit Holicki Eye Centers & Optical at our Sturgis, Angola, or Coldwater location to learn more about amblyopia and find the right treatment option for your lazy eye.