The scientific name for a lazy eye is “amblyopia.” Amblyopia happens because one eye is favored by the brain, mostly attributed to impaired vision in the other eye. Your brain may eventually ignore signals from the weaker or the “lazy” eye. The disorder can result in a permanent deterioration of vision, and a lack of perception of distance. Let us dive into causes , symptoms, and treatment of lazy eye
What Causes A Lazy Eye?
Anything that leads to the obstruction of vision in either of the eyes during a child’s development years, has the potential to cause a lazy eye. While the reasons are not clear, the brain suppresses all the stimuli that are coming from the affected eye.
Here are the potential causes of lazy eye
Strabismus
This condition arises when your eyes don’t line up in the way they should. There is an inconsistency in the muscles that hold the eye, which causes the eyes to cross or move away. People who have strabismus can not concentrate their eyes on an object together, and they sometimes see twice as often. Strabismus could either be genetically inherited or the result of, far-sightedness or accident.
Refractive errors
A refractive error occurs when the light is not correctly focused as it travels through the lens of the eye. Refractive defects arise owing to short-sightedness, far-sightedness, or astigmatism, through which the composition of the cornea or lens becomes distorted, creating blurry vision. If that continues for months or years, the vision of the blurry eye can grow worse. Scientifically, this condition is known as Anisometropic amblyopia.
Cataracts
Cataract refers to the condition when A blurry lens within your eye renders objects appearing blurred. The vision of that eye may not develop the way it should be; thereby leading to a lazy eye.
Droopy Eyelids
Also known as ptosis, a sagging eyelid will obstruct your view and lead to a lazy eye
Symptoms of Lazy Eye
If you are suffering from a lazy eye, you wouldn’t be able to focus properly with one of your eyes. The other eye is going to make up for the error, so much so that your damaged eye suffers as a result. The eyes of poor vision do not provide accurate images. The brain does not obtain consistent data, and will gradually begin to disregard it.
In most of the cases, the brain and the stronger eye would make up for the shortfall so well that the individual won’t ever realize that they have a problem. That’s why a lazy eye is still not identified before the individual goes for a regular eye checkup.
The notable symptoms of a lazy eye include:
- Distorted vision
- Equal vision
- Weak perception of distance
- Eyes don’t function together
- Squinting
- The eye wanders inward, upward, downward or outward
Lazy EyeTreatment of Lazy Eye
The earlier you get the treatment, the better would be the outcome. Timely treatment of lazy eye can prevent from getting worse.
- Identifying and correcting vision problems, such as short-sightedness, far-sightedness, or astigmatism. Many individuals with amblyopia do require glasses and contacts that support their eyes’ alignment.
- If the cataract is blocking light from eyes, or if the strabismus is preventing the eyes from moving together, then the treatment of lazy eye is cataract surgery.
- Wear a patch on the good eye to compel your minds to choose the poor one. At first, you ‘re going to have a rough time seeing. The vision is going to get stronger, even though it may take weeks or months. Despite that, you’ve got to wear the patch all the way.
But sometimes, when you go back to the use of both eyes, you may lose some vision in the weak eye. Therefore, the treatment of lazy eye is you may have to wear the patch again if this occurs. - A Bangerter mask placed over the eyeglass lens of the dominant eye to block the view so that the weak eye may start functioning.
- Atropine eye drops can be used to block vision in the unaffected eye. Atropine dilates the eye, resulting in blurring as you focus at things close up. That is what helps the slow eye work harder.
Atropine is typically less noticeable and uncomfortable for a child than medicine, and maybe almost as successful. Kids and adults who cannot handle the usage of a patch can be given eye drops instead.
Exercises for Lazy Eye
There are several basic exercises that you can do with your lazy eye to drive through motion and concentration. Over time, the hope is that exercises can strengthen and enhance the vision of the weak eye and encourage the eyes to function together. This is the best natural treatment of lazy eye
Moving the focus from somewhere near to somewhere far away, and back again
Place your weak eye on something next to you, like your hand. Then glance up and down at something around the space or outside the window, then wait for it to fall into view. Then take a look back at the closer object. Go back and forth with a weak eye a couple times , for an hour during the day.
Do pencil pushups
Keep the pencil on the side of the arm at the edge of the head. Shift it gradually to your nose, keeping your weak eye fixed on the pencil. Only take note not to hold the sharpened end of the pencil towards you. Then follow the pencil steadily while you move it out of your face again. Other small things, such as a pen or a toothbrush, will work almost as well for small children.
Concentrate on something that is stationary
Keep the attention focused on the target and observe it with the eyes. Take a look at the details of the object, trace its outlines and details with your weak eye.
Practice eye movements
Draw a figure eight with a weak eye, or begin moving the eye up, down, side to side, and all the way around, both clockwise and clockwise. This treatment of lazy eye will help your eye develop its ability to move and control.
If the treatment of lazy eye is not done in time, then it can contribute to diminished vision or blindness of the affected eye. Speak to the doctor if you think you or the child have signs of amblyopia.
Also Read: Exercises To Fix Droopy Eyelids