Amblyopia / Lazy Eye

Amblyopia is a developmental vision disorder of the eye, in which normal visual acuity is not achieved. An amblyopic eye presents with decreased vision that does not improve with glasses or contact lenses. It begins as an infant or during early childhood and generally occurs in one eye, though it is possible to occur bilaterally (both eyes).

​

Amblyopia is the result of a barrier to clear vision from the eyes to the brain which causes the brain to ignore information being sent from this weaker/blurrier eye. 

​

Barriers can include:

• a difference in prescription between the two eyes

• an eye turn, and 

• a congenital cataract.

 

It's important to note that Amblyopia is not corrected with glasses and can be present with or without a Strabismus (eye turn).

 

Patching (although outdated) remains the most common treatment for Amblyopia which focuses on getting the brain to use the weaker eye. Orthoptic Vision Therapy takes a different approach and uses coloured glasses to force the lazy eye to work at the same time as the good eye.