You have probably heard of the “lazy eye” condition or have known of someone who has had it, as its one of the most common visual impairments among children. “Lazy eye,” or amblyopia, affects approximately 3 out of every 100 children. Parents know by now to treat it immediately, but when left ignored, it’s a condition that will persist into adulthood.
With that being said, it’s important to diagnose and treat this condition as early as possible; otherwise, a child won’t develop normal, healthy vision and will experience chronic visual blurriness. If you’re worried your child might be at risk, your MEI doctor will help you determine if the problem is indeed amblyopia, and if it’s:
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Strabismic
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Deprivation
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Refractive
We’ll give you more detail about these in-person. Often times, parents ask us, “Will glasses help a child with amblyopia see better?” and the answer is: yes, but not completely. With this condition, the brain has become used to seeing a blurry image and we need to teach or train the eye how to see better. That can’t be done with glasses, so the normal eye is treated with patching so that the amblyopic eye (the weaker eye) can become stronger through more aggressive use.
Although it’s hard to make a young child wear a patch, consistent encouragement and persistence from parents is needed! Diligent patching can help your child get back to normal vision in as quickly as 10 weeks.
For more information about “lazy eye” and other eye conditions, or just to schedule your next eye appointment, contact Michigan Eye Institute today by calling: (810) 732-7313.
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