‘Lazy eye’ should be corrected early, experts say

A common vision problem, so-called lazy eye affects up to 3 percent of the North American population.

The condition has multiple causes but, caught early, can be successfully treated in six months to two years.

Amblyopia, the medical term for lazy eye, means reduced vision in an eye that has not received adequate use during early childhood, according to preventblindness.org.

The condition can result from misalignment of a child’s eye, such as crossed eyes, or a difference in image quality between the two eyes. That means that one eye typically focuses better than the other. One eye becomes stronger as the other becomes weaker. If untreated the weaker eye becomes functionally blind.

Because of this, it is essential to get lazy eye treated early. Treatments for the condition vary depending on the cause, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Muscle imbalance can affect the position of the eyes, causing eyes to turn in or out instead of tracking together. Surgery may be a solution in this case but often eye patches are prescribed. Physicians may also recommend eye drops that blur the vision in the strong eye, forcing the weaker one to work harder. Another new system of treatment involves activities such as drawing, doing puzzles or playing computer games.

When each eye has a dramatically different prescription, this can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. When the problem is a cloudy eye lens due to cataract —  or any obstruction that prevents clear vision —  surgery is often recommended. Some children need surgery to correct eyelid position.

About 25 percent of children who are successfully treated for amblyopia will have a relapse.