Amblyopia (Lazy Eyes)

Amblyopia is caused by depriving the eye of good vision during the critical period of vision development during childhood. As a result, the vision of the deprived eye will not develop fully, and subsequently resulting in poor vision even when it is best corrected with lenses (if there’s a need).

Lazy eyes is commonly confused with Anisometropia. Anisometropia is a significant difference in refractive error (power) between both eyes, but does not necessarily encompass lazy eyes. Amblyopia can be classified into two main categories:

Anisometropic Amblyopia
This is a significant difference of uncorrected Refractive Error (power) between the two eyes from childhood, resulting in the usage of mainly the better and clearer eye. Thereby resulting in a deprivation of visual experience on the other poorer eye in comparison. The ability to perceive good vision does not develop, causing poorer vision in the eye that has a significant higher refractive error later on in life.

 

Strabismic Amblyopia
Strabismus is a condition whereby one eye is turned away from the direction of the other eye. Both eyes do not look at the same direction. Only one eye is focusing on the object of attention, and the other eye is normally unused for the perception of vision. This results in a deprivation of visual experience if it is a child. Poorer vision results in the strabismic eye, even if the eye turn is surgically corrected.