No, it’s not Captain Hook with a patch on his eye! It’s patching – the most effective treatment for amblyopia!
Amblyopia, or more commonly known as ‘lazy eye’, refers to poor vision in one or both eyes as nerve pathways from the eye to the brain do not develop as they should. This often occurs during the critical period in childhood (from birth to around 7-8 years of age).
Conditions such as strabismus (misalignment of the eyes or ‘cross eye’), anisometropia (when the refractive error in both eyes is different), uncorrected refractive error, ptosis (droopy eyelid) or cataract can increase one’s risk of developing amblyopia, as these reduce stimulation to the eye.
Amblyopia is the leading cause of decreasing vision in children and results in a decreased ability to see detail. Hence, it is important to treat amblyopia as early as possible as it is easiest to treat during the critical period, when the brain and visual system are most sensitive to changes, to ensure that it does not affect a child’s quality of life.
If you suspect that your child may have amblyopia, please contact one of our optometrists for an eye examination on 9728 7288.
