Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye disease, is a condition in which one eye is "weaker" in vision, than the other. In the long term, this can lead to misalignment in eye position (popularly known as “crosseye”), which results in the inability of both eyes to focus on the same object, as well as impaired vision, especially on the “weak” side of the eye. Amblyopia is a common cause of visual impairment in children. Although there are various treatment options for people with amblyopia of all ages, children generally tend to respond better to treatment than adults.
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Method 1 of 2: Handling Mild Cases of Lazy Eye
Step 1. Understand lazy eye disease
“Lazy eye” is a term used to describe a medical condition, namely amblyopia. Cases of amblyopia usually develop in early childhood, or those under the age of seven. Initially, this condition occurs when one eye has a stronger focusing ability than the other, allowing the child to tend to use the "strong eye" more often. In the long term, this will result in weakened vision in the “weak” eye, which if not treated properly, can get worse over time.
- Diagnosing and treating amblyopia patients as early as possible is key. The sooner you recognize and treat the symptoms, the sooner and better the results will be.
- In the long term, there are usually no consequences of amblyopia to worry about, especially if the disease is detected early (the majority are mild cases).
- It should be noted that over time, using the "stronger eye" will cause the other eye to weaken. In some cases, the weaker eye will begin to move out of sync. This means that, when you and your doctor examine your child, you will clearly see a mess in the arrangement of the eyes, where one eye is pointing to the other side, is out of focus, or is not even aligned and aligned with the other eye (“crossed eye”)."
- The condition "cross eye" is common in people with amblyopia, and usually resolves with proper detection and treatment.
Step 2. See a doctor
Amblyopia is known as one of the most common medical disorders in children. That's why, the best way for treatment is to make sure the symptoms to a doctor or specialist as early as possible, especially if you start to suspect the appearance of early symptoms of amblyopia in children. Make sure your children get regular eye tests, especially in early childhood. Some doctors suggest, the test can be done at the age of six months, three years, then every two years.
Prognosis is usually the best treatment for lazy eye sufferers at a young age. However, there are now several experimental treatment procedures that look promising for adults with amblyopia. Consult your doctor or ophthalmologist, to further understand the treatment options available to you
Step 3. Use an eye patch
In certain cases, placing an eye patch on one side of the "strong" eye is necessary to treat visual disturbances that are common in the "weak" eye. Gradually, this will force the sufferer to see with the weaker eye and improve his vision. The use of an eye patch is very effective for young amblyopia sufferers, ie under seven or eight years. Wear the blindfold for three to six hours per day, for periods ranging from a few weeks to a year.
- The doctor may suggest accompanying the use of a blindfold with some activities such as reading, going to school, and other activities that "force" the sufferer to coordinate and focus on objects.
- You can use an eye patch in conjunction with corrective glasses.
Step 4. Use the recommended eye medication
Treatment for lazy eye is usually done with atropine drops which function to blur the view in the "good" eye, so the child will be forced to use the "bad" eye. The system works, similar to a blindfold, which forces the "weak" part to gradually strengthen vision.
- While eye drops may be a good option for children who are reluctant to wear an eye patch, atropine may no longer be effective when the "good" eye becomes myopic.
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Atropine eye drops have mild side effects, such as:
- Irritation to the eyes
- Redness of the skin around the eye area
- Headache
Step 5. Treat amblyopia with corrective glasses
The use of special glasses is usually recommended to improve focus and correct misalignment of the eye position. In certain cases, especially when amblyopia is accompanied by eye disorders such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, or even astigmatism (cylindrical eye), the use of corrective glasses can also completely correct the problem. Glasses alone can be used in conjunction with other lazy eye treatments. Consult your doctor or ophthalmologist if you are interested in using corrective glasses for lazy eye disease.
- For children aged enough, contact lenses are often used instead of glasses.
- It is common, people with lazy eye initially find it difficult to see using glasses. The reason is, in a long time, they have gotten used to visual disturbances. Give it time to gradually adjust to normal vision.
Method 2 of 2: Handling Serious Cases of Lazy Eyes
Step 1. Perform the surgical procedure
Surgery to correct the position of the eye muscles can be done if non-surgical methods do not work. This method is considered to be helpful in the treatment of amblyopia, especially if the condition is caused by cataracts. The surgical procedure may be complemented by the use of an eye patch, eye medication, glasses, or even if it works well, it can heal on its own.
Step 2. “Train” your eyes as recommended by your doctor
In the process, your doctor may recommend a number of eye exercises, which can be performed either before or after surgery. The goal is to improve and at the same time get used to normal vision in a way that is comfortable for the eyes.
Amblyopia often results in a weakening of the "bad" eye. Eye exercises are necessary to ensure that both sides of the eye muscles are really strong
Step 3. Get regular eye tests
Although amblyopia has been completely resolved by surgical procedures, it is better to follow up on treatment, for example by scheduling regular eye tests, according to the doctor's instructions. This is to avoid you from the risk of developing amblyopia in the future.
Tips
- Detection of symptoms of amblyopia by administering cycloplegic eye drops, from a young age.
- Perform an examination and diagnosis of eye conditions by visiting the nearest ophthalmologist.
- Treatment of amblyopia is possible at any age. The earlier this disorder can be detected and treated, the better the outcome.
