Amblyopia: Childhood Vision Disorder, Brain-Eye Coordination Therapy, Screening Importance, and Treatment Techniques
Amblyopia, commonly called lazy eye, is a childhood vision disorder where the brain favors one eye over the other, leading to poor vision development in the affected eye. It typically develops early in life and must be treated promptly to prevent lifelong vision impairment. Causes include strabismus (eye
misalignment), refractive errors, or physical obstruction such as cataracts.
Early screening at pediatric visits and vision checks in preschool years are crucial, as children often do not report vision difficulty. Diagnosis includes visual acuity tests, eye alignment assessment, and refraction exams.
Treatment encourages the brain to use the weaker eye. Common strategies include patching the stronger eye, using atropine drops to temporarily blur the better eye, eyeglasses for refractive correction, and vision therapy exercises. Consistency and parental involvement are key for successful results.
Most children respond well when treatment begins early, ideally before age seven, though improvements can still occur in older…