Lazy Eye

A lazy eye is a common condition which starts in childhood. Unfortunately, up to 1 out of 50 children have this vision problem. Even though most children are unaware of the problem with their vision, this eye condition impacts their daily activities, such as reading, writing, drawing and playing. Fortunately, there are multiple ways that this condition can be corrected. In this guide, you can read and learn about lazy eye, its types and causes, and possible treatments.

What is a Lazy Eye?

A lazy eye, also medically known as amblyopia, is a common childhood condition where one or occasionally both eyes haven’t developed properly and fails to build strong links with the brain. As the brain cannot receive clear images from the amblyopic eye, patients depend more on the good eye. This vision condition affects 1 in 50 children.

The factors such as premature birth, low birth weight, developmental delay and family history of vision problems increase the risk of developing the lazy eye. However, it can be corrected as long as it is diagnosed and treated at an early age. Regular eye screening for young children is crucial. If left untreated, after the age of 8, the impaired vision in the amblyopic eye becomes permanent. Therefore, the age of the patient and the degree of amblyopia play an important role in the success of the treatment.

The symptoms of lazy eye include squint, lack of depth perception and difficulty in judging distances. However, it is hard for young children to explain their impaired vision. Thus, the condition may be unnoticeable for a long time as the symptoms are not evident and parents do not realize if there’s a problem. After a full eye examination with specific tests, the ophthalmologist will be able to identify lazy eye.

Types of Lazy Eye

Amblyopia can be a result of other conditions and have different causes.

• Strabismic amblyopia

Mostly, lazy eye is caused by a squint. Muscle imbalance in the eye leads to the lazy eye turn inwards or outwards. Double vision may occur.

• Refractive amblyopia

It is caused by differences in prescriptions between the eyes. If one eye is more short-sighted or long-sighted, or has astigmatism, then the brain ignores the lazy eye and becomes more dependent on the strong eye.

• Deprivation amblyopia

It is caused by an obstacle in the vision field of one eye, such as a cataract or scarred cornea which blocks the light from entering the eye.

Lazy Eye Treatment

Depending on the underlying cause, non-surgical and surgical treatments are carried out to treat the lazy eye. The main goal is to restrict the strong eye and force the amblyopic eye to restore normal vision. To achieve this, eye patches are used. Yet, if wearing an eye patch is not possible, then eye drops that blur the vision can be used.

The length of treatment depends on the degree of amblyopia. It is a gradual process which shouldn’t be stopped too soon and it is crucial to start treatment at an early age to treat lazy eye successfully.

Refractive errors, such as long-sightedness, short-sightedness and astigmatism can be treated with prescription glasses. These glasses should be worn full-time.

However, if deprivation amblyopia is the case, then surgery is needed. During the surgery, the cataract that blocks the vision is removed and usually, the operation takes 2 hours. Similarly, if the lazy eye is caused by a severe squint, surgery can also be required to align the eye muscles.

Lazy Eye Treatment in Turkey

Turkey has become a popular destination for patients from all over the world. Affordable prices and safety standards in Turkey make it a great option for patients who seek treatments abroad. Please contact us, if you would like more information about eye treatments and prices.