Amblyopia (Lazy Eye): Early Diagnosis and Treatment in Children

THE LAZY EYE, AMBLYOPIA

Amblyopia causes one eye to be less active than the other, which gradually loses its visual efficiency. Early re-education is therefore essential.

CAUSES OF AMBLYOPIA: A CHAIN ​​REACTION

Amblyopia affects 5 to 6% of newborns and is still rarely diagnosed. Firstly, because this visual disorder is often part of a defense mechanism: when one eye does not develop normally or produces blurry images, the other compensates by working harder. The weak eye, less and less efficient, is called "lazy". Amblyopia can also result from strabismus: to avoid the double image generated by diverging or converging eyes, the body ignores the work of one eye in favor of the other.

SOLUTIONS TO CORRECT LAZY EYE

Amblyopia often goes unnoticed by parents.

For this reason, it is recommended to cover the child's eye with one hand to "check" his or her vision and to periodically schedule a check-up with a vision specialist.

This early diagnosis is essential: amblyopia discovered before 10/12 months can be treated with rehabilitation of the lazy eye for 5 years.
Wearing glasses with corrective lenses corrects blurry vision, while adding an occluder for 20-30 minutes a day stimulates the lazy eye.

However, after 6 years this rehabilitation becomes more difficult…