What does lazy eye mean

By Kierstan Boyd. Related Ask an Ophthalmologist Answers What causes adult amblyopia and what is the treatment? Is surgery possible for adults with amblyopia? Is it alright for young kids to wear fashion glasses without prescription lenses? Will stem cell therapies bring a cure for congenital ptosis? Are there standard computer screens for children? Find an Ophthalmologist. Advanced Search. Ask an Ophthalmologist. Browse Answers. Symptoms of amblyopia can be hard to notice.

Kids with amblyopia may have poor depth perception — they have trouble telling how near or far something is. Parents may also notice signs that their child is struggling to see clearly, like:. Some kids are born with amblyopia and others develop it later in childhood.

The chances of having amblyopia are higher in kids who:. But sometimes, a different vision problem can lead to amblyopia. Normally, the brain uses nerve signals from both eyes to see. But if an eye condition makes vision in 1 eye worse, the brain may try to work around it.

All kids ages 3 to 5 need to have their vision checked at least once. For example, doctors may recommend glasses or contacts for kids who are nearsighted or farsighted or surgery for kids with cataract. The next step is to re-train the brain and force it to use the weaker eye.

The more the brain uses it, the stronger it gets. Treatments include:. Wearing an eye patch on the stronger eye. By covering up this eye with a stick-on eye patch similar to a Band-Aid , the brain has to use the weaker eye to see. Some kids only need to wear the patch for 2 hours a day, while others may need to wear it whenever they're awake. Lazy eye amblyopia is reduced vision in one eye caused by abnormal visual development early in life.

The weaker — or lazy — eye often wanders inward or outward. Amblyopia generally develops from birth up to age 7 years.

It is the leading cause of decreased vision among children. Rarely, lazy eye affects both eyes. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent long-term problems with your child's vision. The eye with poorer vision can usually be corrected with glasses or contact lenses, or patching therapy. See your child's doctor if you notice his or her eye wandering after the first few weeks of life.

A vision check is especially important if there's a family history of crossed eyes, childhood cataracts or other eye conditions. Lazy eye develops because of abnormal visual experience early in life that changes the nerve pathways between a thin layer of tissue retina at the back of the eye and the brain. The weaker eye receives fewer visual signals. Eventually, the eyes' ability to work together decreases, and the brain suppresses or ignores input from the weaker eye.