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LAZY EYE

amblyopia Valencia

What is a “lazy eye” or amblyopia?

A “lazy eye”, which is technically known as amblyopia, is a lack of vision in an anatomically normal eye, usually resulting from a lack of use during the period of visual development. Amblyopia is a disorder that develops in infancy but if not diagnosed and treated before completing the period of vision development, may become chronic and remain in adult life.

Causes of lazy eye

Lazy eye can appear in any circumstance in which the visual stimulation of one eye is much greater than the other, causing the brain to “cancel out” one of the images so as not to generate confusion and double vision.

It happens under one of the following conditions:

Anisometropia

Significant difference in the prescription of the two eyes.

Strabismus

Deviation of the eye.

Congenital cataract

Opacity of the lens.

Congenital ptosis

Drooped eyelids that cover the area of vision.

LAZY EYE TREATMENT

It is important to stress that a lazy can only be effectively treated at an early age when vision is developing. Prevention in these cases is fundamental because if it is not diagnosed and treated early, it can lead to an irreversible visual defect. The treatment for amblyopia strives to correct its underlying cause (refractive error, strabismus, ptosis, etc.) and penalise the healthy eye so as to force the amblyopic eye to work, thereby levelling out the degree of vision in both eyes. The most common method is currently occlusion treatment, using a patch on the healthy eye for a period of time that will depend on the degree of amblyopia and the age of the child.

LAZY EYE PREVENTION

Children don’t know how they are supposed to see, which is why they often don’t communicate when they see poorly unless it is an acute issue that appears suddenly. It is for this reason that ophthalmology check-ups during the development stage are the key to detecting anomalies and to provide a solution before the amblyopia, or lazy eye, becomes permanent.

PIONEERS IN EYE SURGERY

At CLÍNICA RAHHAL, we have state-of-the-art technological equipment which, combined with our teamwork, ensures the best results.

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“I have been going to Rahhal for many years with my entire family because of the quality of the service and the family atmosphere that the whole team provides”.

Álvaro Lluch. 

“Besides his professionalism, you can see that Dr Rahhal enjoys his work and is happy doing it. I went to him for an initial consultation and have never since wanted to go to any other clinic. I am truly delighted”.

Marisa. 

“I have been a patient for some time and I am delighted with them. The staff are attentive and very professional, and the facilities are excellent”.

Esther Herranz. 

WE FINANCE YOUR TREATMENT

TO MAKE LIFE EASIER

At CLÍNICA RAHHAL, we don’t want to make it expensive to see and we want to ensure our treatments are accessible to our patients.

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FAQs

Select one of the following frequently-asked questions from our patients to display the answer. If you cannot find the answer to your question, please contact us using the form below.

Can a lazy eye be treated?

Yes, if it is detected at an early age (generally below 8-10 years of age), with visual recovery being more likely the earlier the issue is identified.

Is there any treatment for adults?

A lazy eye appears as a result of a lack of visual development due to a lack of stimulation in that eye. Once you are an adult, the eye has finished developing, so we cannot recover vision that has been lost as a result of that. However, we can treat other issues that occur along with it, such as cataracts, so as to obtain the best vision possible within the limits of what we know.

Is a lazy eye always due to strabismus? Can it be treated?

Not necessarily. Although strabismus is one of the most frequent causes of a lazy eye, they are not always linked. During childhood, treating strabismus will have two purposes: to ensure vision develops properly (preventing a lazy eye) and to improve aesthetics. As an adult, strabismus that has been there since childhood can only be corrected for aesthetic purposes.

Are patches always necessary?

Yes, in most cases. By using patches, we can “force” visual stimulation of the amblyopic eye (the lazy eye) to encourage proper development. It’s true that there are other methods available to achieve this, such as using certain drops, although patches are the most common method.

Initial consultation

Leave your details here and we will get in touch to offer you an appointment with one of our ophthalmologists. We will send you an email confirming receipt along with the details regarding the appointment requested, and we will respond to your request by telephone within a few working hours to confirm the appointment requested.

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