An eye examination will also screen for amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus (turning eye/squint)
Amblyopia = where one eye is weaker and cannot see the same amount of detail as the fellow eye. This can prevent the two eyes working together and make depth perception and binocular vision difficult. Amblyopia tends to occur when only one eye is significantly long-sighted, short-sighted or astigmatic and corrective glasses are not prescribed early enough. Also, if one eye has a strabismus (squint) it may also become amblyopic. The main method of treatment is patching of the good eye for several hours a day in order to stimulate the weak eye. Rarely, there may be an organic reason such as a cataract or retinal disease for amblyopia.
Strabismus = where one eye appears to turn in, out, up or down, either constantly or when concentrating or tired. This will also disrupt development of normal binocular vision. Children do not outgrow squints and appropriate treatment and monitoring at the earliest possible stage is vital.
Both these conditions are prevalent in childhood and have many different causes. They need to be diagnosed and investigated promptly. Early intervention will allow a chance for normal sight to develop. If necessary your child can be referred to a paediatric ophthalmologist for further treatment.
"Amblyopia can be treated when diagnosed young.
Eye examination includes all the necessary tests for Amblyopia"
About 2% to 3% of all children have a lazy eye, clinically known as ‘amblyopia’. This may because they have one eye that is much more short- or long-sighted than the other, or they may have a squint (where the eyes are not looking in the same direction).
The sooner the child is treated, the more likely they are to have good vision. It is more difficult to treat lazy eye if the eyesight has finished developing (usually around seven or eight), although it may still be possible to significantly improve the vision.
It is recommended that all children should have a full eye examination before their first year at school. It is important because many children will not realise that they have a lazy eye, and parents may not be able to see it.
Don’t expect your child to tell you if there is a problem. Children assume that the way they see is normal – they will not have known anything different.
Be aware that children with learning difficulties are ten times more likely to have problems with their vision, and carers and parents may find it harder to spot difficulties.
The treatment will depend on what is causing the lazy eye:
If it is simply because the child needs glasses, the optometrist/ophthalmologist will prescribe these to correct sight problems.
If the child has a squint, this may be fully or partially corrected with glasses. However, some children may need an operation to straighten the eyes, which can take place as early as a few months of age
If the child has a lazy eye, patching the good eye can help to encourage them to use the lazy eye and hence, make it see better. In most cases the vision in the lazy eye can be greatly improved with this treatment.
Some children find it hard to get on with patching or with glasses although they will improve their vision.
Whether a child needs glasses or not is because of the shape and size of their eyes. Wearing glasses will not change their eye shape, and will not make your child’s eyes worse. If your child has a lazy eye, wearing glasses may make their sight permanently improve. Your optometrist/eye specialist will tell you how often and when your child should wear their glasses.
