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Lazy Eye - NHS

Lazy eye info

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Nikki Hooper
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73 views1 page

Lazy Eye - NHS

Lazy eye info

Uploaded by

Nikki Hooper
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Overview
Lazy eye

Overview

Causes

Diagnosis

Treatment

A "lazy eye" is a childhood condition where the


vision does not develop properly. It's known
medically as amblyopia.

It happens because one or both eyes are unable to


build a strong link to the brain. It usually only
affects one eye, and means that the child can see
less clearly out of the affected eye and relies more
on the "good" eye.

It's estimated that 1 in 50 children develop a lazy


eye.

How to tell if your child has a


lazy eye
A lazy eye does not usually cause symptoms.
Younger children are often unaware that there's
anything wrong with their vision and, if they are,
they're usually unable to explain what's wrong.

Older children may complain that they cannot see


as well through one eye and have problems with
reading, writing and drawing.

In some cases, you may notice that one eye looks


different from the other. However, this is usually a
sign of another condition that could lead to a lazy
eye, such as:

a squint – where the weaker eye looks inwards,


outwards, upwards or downwards, while the
other eye looks forwards

short-sightedness (myopia), long-sightedness


(hyperopia) and astigmatism

childhood cataracts – cloudy patches that


develop in the lens, which sits behind the iris
(the coloured part of the eye) and pupil

If your child is too young to tell you how good


their vision is, you can check their eyes by covering
each eye with your hand, one at a time. They
might object to covering the good eye, but they
might not mind if you cover the lazy eye.

If they try to push your hand away from one eye


but not the other, it may be a sign they can see
better out of one eye.

When to get medical advice


Lazy eye is often diagnosed during routine eye
tests before parents realise there's a problem.

If you want to be reassured about your child's


vision, they can have their eyes tested when
they're old enough to attend a sight test at a high-
street opticians, which is usually after they're 3
years old.

All newborn babies in the UK have an eye test in


the first days of life, and then again at 2 to 3
months old, to look for eyesight problems such as
cataracts. Problems like squint and short or long
sight may not develop until the child is a few years
old.

It's difficult to treat lazy eye after the age of 6, so


it's recommended that all children have their
vision tested after their fourth birthday. This is the
responsibility of your local council, which should
organise vision testing for all children between 4
and 5 years of age.

Read more about eye tests for children.

You can also visit your GP if you have any concerns


about your child's eyesight. If necessary, they can
refer your child to an eye specialist.

Read more about diagnosing a lazy eye.

Causes of a lazy eye


The eyes work like a camera. Light passes through
the lens of each eye and reaches a light-sensitive
layer of tissue at the back of the eye called the
retina.

The retina translates the image into nerve signals


that are sent to the brain. The brain combines the
signals from each eye into a three-dimensional
image.

A lazy eye happens when the brain connections


responsible for vision are not made properly. To
build these connections, during the first 8 years of
a child's life, the eye has to "show" the brain a
clear image. This allows the brain to build strong
pathways for information about vision.

A lazy eye can be caused by:

a reduced amount of light entering the eye

a lack of focus in the eye

confusion between the eyes – where the 2


images aren't the same (such as a squint)

Left untreated, this can lead to the eye's central


vision never reaching normal levels.

Read more about the causes of a lazy eye.

Treatment for lazy eye


In most cases it is possible to treat a lazy eye,
usually in 2 stages.

If there's a problem with the amount of light


entering the eye, such as a cataract blocking the
pathway of light, treatment will be needed to
remove the blockage.

If there's an eyesight problem such as short or long


sight or astigmatism, it will first be corrected using
glasses to correct the focus of the eye. This often
helps correct a squint as well.

The child is then encouraged to use the affected


eye again. This can be done using an eye patch to
cover the stronger eye, or eyedrops to temporarily
blur the vision in the stronger eye.

Treatment is a gradual process that takes many


months to work. If treatment is stopped too soon,
any improvement may be lost.

Treatment for lazy eye is most effective for


younger children. It's uncertain how helpful it is
for children over 8 years of age.

Read more about treating a lazy eye.

Page last reviewed: 16 May 2019


Next review due: 16 May 2022

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