Sight is one of the most wonderful gifts that has been bestowed on human beings. With vision, people can enjoy the beauty of nature and gorge on the magnificent colors that illuminate every corner of existence.
However, any trouble in seeing can wreak havoc in a person’s life. Sight is a requirement for most jobs that are present in the market, and without being able to see properly can impede a person’s monetary and individual growth as they are limited to very few occupations.
Hence, it is very important to take care of eyes by adopting a healthy lifestyle and making routine visits to the eye doctors so that any impending dangers to the eyes can be nibbed at the bud and stopped before it starts progressing into much larger and complicated issues.
Amblyopia is a common disorder of the eyes with millions of patients being registered for this ailment each year all over the world. Amblyopia is also known as “lazy eye” as in this condition, the capacity to normally function is reduced in one of the eyes.
The reduced vision may be caused by an abnormality in the eyes during the early years of development. This disorder is mainly seen in children and is one of the leading causes of vision impairment in children.
What is Amblyopia?
Amblyopia is a vision disorder in which the functionality of one of the eyes is depleted due to a communication lag between the brain and the affected eye. In this condition, the affected eye is not able to capture and process the image properly and the brain relies heavily upon the stronger eye to create a picture and send the appropriate signal to the brain. In due course of time, the vision starts deteriorating in the affected eye to a point where it gets even worse.
Fortunately, doctors can treat the condition if the symptoms are detected at the onset, and in most cases, they are also able to reverse the effects. Over-the-counter medicines are generally prescribed by doctors to counter the symptoms of Amblyopia; however, drastic actions such as surgery might be required in case of vision complications.
What are the Symptoms of Amblyopia?
Symptoms of Amblyopia are hard to notice. Most children with amblyopia have trouble judging the depth, which makes them fall quite often. Doctors suggest that this may be the best symptom to note for Amblyopia; however, other symptoms also need to be considered before reaching any possible conclusion.
Common symptoms of Amblyopia may include:
1) Children complaining of poor vision in one eye
2) Poor depth perception
3) Head tilting while trying to see something
4) Squint more often than usual
5) Unusual results in vision screening tests
What are the Causes Listed for Amblyopia?
Just many other eye conditions, exact reasons for what causes Amblyopia are still conflicted with debates going all over the world on the topic. Amblyopia is a condition in which both eyes are not able to work in tandem, which is required for sending an appropriate signal to the brain. In the case of Amblyopia, the brain heavily relies on one good eye for image processing and depth perception.
Few eye conditions may lead to Amblyopia in the longer run. These eye conditions are:
1) Refractive errors
2) Strabismus
3) Cataract
How can Amblyopia be Diagnosed?
Symptoms Amblyopia is hard to notice. Also, since children are not able to comprehend and explain their issues properly, most parents fail to understand if the child is having any issues. The tell-tell sign for Amblyopia is frequent stumbling and falling. If parents observe their children falling more often, they should immediately consult a doctor. Also, the practice of routine eye checkups must be adopted so that symptoms of Amblyopia can be identified at the onset.
Once the doctors have checked for the symptoms and are somewhat convinced of Amblyopia disorder, they may perform a standard eye exam to assess vision in both eyes to reach an accurate conclusion about Amblyopia.
How is Amblyopia Treated?
Amblyopia can be treated; however, the results of the treatment may vary depending upon the time of the diagnosis of the symptoms. A patient has a higher chance of recovering 100% percent vision if the symptoms are identified at the onset.
Treating Amblyopia also depends on the cause which leads to the development of the disorder and how much has the disease progressed since the time of the diagnosis.
As a remedy, doctors may recommend the following:
1) Corrective eyewear
2) Eye patches
3) Bangerter filter
4) Eyedrops
5) Surgical intervention in rare and severe cases
Outlook
Amblyopia in most cases can be treated with over-the-counter medicines and guidance from the consulting physician; however, complete vision impairment has been reported, although rare. The regular eye-health examination is the most recommended method to avoid complications related to Amblyopia in the future.
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