Is it possible to correct a lazy eye

Often the choice of eyedrops or patches is a matter of preference. Children who do not like having drops in their eyes can wear a patch, and those who do not like wearing a patch can use eyedrops.

Sometimes poor results are due to the child or family finding it difficult to stick to using the patch or the eyedrops. If you're having trouble with one kind of treatment, discuss the alternatives with your eye specialist.

If surgery is recommended, more than one operation may be required to improve the appearance of a squint, and glasses may still need to be worn after surgery.

If the treatment is stopped too soon, any improvements in the lazy eye can be lost. A patch may also need to be worn or eyedrops used, if the lazy eye returns. Page last reviewed: 16 May Next review due: 16 May The 2 main treatment options for a lazy eye are: treating or correcting any underlying eye problems encouraging the use of the affected eye so vision can develop properly Treating underlying eye problems Glasses Short- or long-sightedness, can be corrected using glasses.

They'll need plenty of encouragement to wear their glasses continuously. Contact lenses are an alternative to glasses, but they may only be suitable for older children. Surgery In children, most cataracts are removed to allow better development of vision in the affected eye. Read more about treating squints. Amblyopia in children: Classification, screening, and evaluation. Accessed June 8, Mayo Clinic; National Eye Institute. Amblyopia preferred practice pattern. American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Coats DK, et al. Amblyopia in children: Management and outcome. Related Associated Procedures Eye exam. If the ophthalmologist or optometrist suspects the child has lazy eye, further tests will be carried out before a diagnosis is reached.

Each eye is tested separately to determine whether there is any near- or far-sightedness, and how serious it is. The child will also be carefully tested to determine whether there is an eye turn.

Blindness: If untreated, the patient may eventually lose vision in the affected eye. This vision loss is usually permanent.

According to the National Eye Institute, lazy eye is the most common cause of single-eye vision impairment in young and middle-aged adults in the U. Eye turn: Strabismus, where the eyes are not properly aligned, can become permanent. The problem may affect their ability to do certain tasks. The findings may have repercussions for people with amblyopia or other eye disorders that are currently only being treated in childhood.

Researchers have found that playing the video game Tetris with both eyes is a more effective means of treating adult amblyopia than eye patching. Everything you need to know about lazy eye. Medically reviewed by Ann Marie Griff, O. Share on Pinterest Amblyopia is a relatively common problem. Share on Pinterest Symptoms of lazy eye include blurred or double vision.

Share on Pinterest Amblyopia is often picked up by a routine eye test. Latest news Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes. Adolescent depression: Could school screening help? Related Coverage. Eyesight continues to develop until your 40s, new study finds The findings may have repercussions for people with amblyopia or other eye disorders that are currently only being treated in childhood.

It helps improve vision in the weaker eye. You should wear the eyepatch over the eye that has better vision for around 2 to 6 hours daily. Your doctor will tell you how long you should keep the patch on. Wearing the patch for many hours can sometimes cause lazy eye to manifest in the stronger eye. When this happens, the condition is typically rectified easily with treatment. Eyepatches may be used alone or with corrective lenses.

Your doctor may be able to supply you with eyepatches. Children who cannot tolerate eyepatches may get the same or similar results with Bangerter filters. These filters are a type of opaque covering that fits on the inside of the eyeglass lens worn over the dominant eye. Bangerter filters should be worn full time. They can be modified for density and opaqueness over time, as symptoms improve.

For this reason, they may be useful after patching has occurred, as a secondary treatment. Medicated eye drops can be used to blur the vision in the dominant eye, making the weaker eye work harder. The medication typically used is atropine, which is sold under the brand name Isopto Atropine. It may be used several times daily to diminish vision in the dominant eye, making the lazy eye work harder.

Atropine is covered by insurance, though your plan may require you to get the generic type. Games and activities designed to challenge the weak eye have been shown to be beneficial, but these may not be enough to correct vision as a stand-alone treatment. Eye training tools include specific types of computer or iPad games and activities such as putting together jigsaw puzzles and drawing pictures. Training with computer games and videos has been shown to be effective in several small studies, including one from and one from However, more research is needed before it can be considered effective enough to use without other forms of therapy, such as wearing an eyepatch.

Surgery for lazy eye is done to adjust the length or positioning of the eye muscles.