Amblyopia

Amblyopia (also known as "lazy eye") is poor, under-developed vision of one or both eyes even when fully corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Amblyopia develops during childhood. The main types of amblyopia are known as refractive, if one or both eyes have excessively high or uneven prescriptions; strabismic, when one eye has a constant eyeturn; and deprivation, when the visual axis of one or both eyes are blocked such as in congenital cataracts or ptosis. Though amblyopia treatment is most effective if caught early and treated during childhood, there are studies that show adults may respond positively to therapy as well.

Glasses/Contact Lenses

The first step to amblyopia treatment is to ensure that you're wearing the most up-to-date glasses or contact lens prescription full time prescribed by your optometrist.

MFBF

Glasses/Contact Lenses

Monocular fixation in a binocular field (MFBF) is the latest amblyopia treatment. This allows the amblyopic eye to focus while still achieving peripheral awareness and fusion with both eyes. This is done with special red/green glasses, workbooks, activities, and computer and VR programs.

Binocular Vision

Glasses/Contact Lenses

Binocular Vision

Vision therapy to improve binocular vision including eye muscle alignment, eye focusing, and eye tracking ability in both the amblyopic and non-amblyopic eye is shown to improve amblyopia treatment results.

Patching

Atropine Eyedrops

Binocular Vision

Eye patching may be prescribed in addition to vision therapy. An eye patch is worn on the non-amblyopic eye for a set amount of hours per day with near focusing activities recommended. This allows the amblyopic eye individualized time to develop strength and improved vision.

Atropine Eyedrops

In some cases, 1% atropine eyedrops may be prescribed for the non-amblyopic eye 2 days per week. The dilation and blurred effects from the eyedrops allows the amblyopic eye to become the dominant eye and this can encourage the improvement of strength and vision in that eye.