Have you noticed that your child has poor judgement and trouble finding his or her bearings in space? Does he or she trip or bump into things often? Leans his or her head to one side or the other? Squints or semi-closes his or her eyes strangely? Perhaps amblyopia is to blame. Is there a way to forego this eye ailment? Is it at all possible to treat it effectively? Or remove surgically? Why is it essential to seek out a specialist immediately when amblyopia is the suspect?
Amblyopia. What is it and how does it make its presence felt?
Amblyopia is a functional vision problem. It sets in during the childhood years and affects some 3% of all children. It is a condition where in vast majority of cases, only one eye functions optimally while the other eye is affected by reduced sight sharpness. Amblyopia is not recognisable at first sight. With this condition, the brain only uses the healthy eye while pretty much bypassing the weaker eye. This may be the cause behind the afore mentioned issues with reduced orientation in space, inability to recognise the depth of objects and other unpleasantries. One may also often notice strabismus (lazy eye) in the child which often comes hand in hand with this condition and which is usually the catalyst behind seeking out medical help.
What exactly causes this eye ailment?
Among the main causes of amblyopia is strabismus, anisometropia (a higher dioptre difference between the left and the right eye), glaucoma, astigmatism (issue with the cornea) or other eye problems. Genetics too, has a significant role to play. A parent with amblyopia that has not been treated in childhood very often passes this problem onto his or her children.
It is only possible to treat this issue in childhood. From the very first realisation that a child has amblyopia, without taking into consideration the child`s age at this point, up until the age of 10, the chances are very good. Successful treatment is only possible to guarantee up until the age of 10, while the “the sooner the better` rule applies. When treatment is embarked on at a later age, the chance of it being treated is next to nil. The ailment then becomes permanent and bothers the affected individual his or her entire life. It is impossible to treat amblyopia in adults. It is also impossible to eliminate it with surgery at any age. Amblyopia in children is corrected using glasses in combination with occlusion whereby the healthy eye is covered using an eyepatch. This forces the affected eye to work harder and more efficiently. The key to being able to treat amblyopia in children is using correct prescription in combination with regular exercising, often carried out at the ophthalmologist`s office.
Do any means of preventing amblyopia exist?
It is only possible to treat this eye ailment in childhood. This indicates that it is crucial to pay heightened attention to all changes that you may notice in your child. An essential step in preventing amblyopia is informing your paediatrician of this particular or any other eye ailment that may run in your family. The Paediatrician then hands over your child to the relevant specialist. As early as at the age of 2, a check-up of your child is in order. Here, the specialist, should he or she confirm such findings, will take the necessary steps to ensure the highest possible chance of complete recovery.
Because amblyopia may significantly reduce the quality of life of your child it cannot be stressed enough to never underestimate even the slightest suspicion that something is not right. Do not wait for anything and waste no time in informing a specialist. Should amblyopia be diagnosed, do not panic. Take the specialist`s recommendations and advice to heart and together and with great care and patience undertake all the prescribed exercises that will lead to improvement. This is the only way to ensure that your child has a good chance at attaining high quality life without any limitations.