Amblyopia (cont.)
How Is Amblyopia Diagnosed?
Your child's pediatrician or the vision program at school
will check three aspects of your child's eye health:
- That your child's eyes let light all the way through
- That both eyes see equally well
- That the eyes are moving normally.
If there's a problem in any of those three areas, the
pediatrician or school nurse may recommend a visit to an eye
specialist.
How Is Amblyopia Treated?
The most common treatment for amblyopia is to force the brain
to start using the "bad" eye by putting a patch over the "good"
eye. At first, the child will have a hard time seeing with just
the weaker eye. However, it is very important that your child
wear the patch diligently because this will eventually improve
vision. It can take weeks, months, or even a year for an eye
patch to improve vision.
As the child keeps using only the eye with amblyopia, his or
her vision will continue to improve. After the doctor determines
that vision is back to normal, your child will not have to wear
the patch. In cases of mild amblyopia, the doctor might
recommend using an eye drop called atropine in the "good" eye
instead of a patch. Atropine makes it impossible for that eye to
focus close-up, forcing the "bad" eye to do most of the work
while the child is playing with toys, eating, drawing or
reading.
If there is something blocking light from getting into the
eye, the doctor might recommend surgery to remove the blockage.
If strabismus is preventing the eyes from moving together
correctly, your doctor might recommend surgery on the muscles of
the eye. And if the focus of one eye is very different from the
other, eyeglasses or contact lenses might be necessary.
Your doctor will discuss with you what treatment is most
appropriate for your child.
Next: What is the outlook for children with amblyopia? »
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