Lazy eye syndrome, also called amblyopia, arises when the neuronal cells of vision receive different information from each of the eyes. Confused, the brain chooses the best image and omits the lowest quality one. As a consequence of this dysfunction, there is a significant loss of visual acuity that can be easily corrected in children, but it is difficult to recover in adults.
At birth, the eyes need to receive stimuli in order to develop their functional abilities. As the retina collects this information, the visual system matures, learns to coordinate with the brain, and increases visual functions. And it is that although at first it will only perceive light, later the arc of vision will be extended, it will distinguish contours and colors, and it will improve the focus. Generally , the eyes will not be visually developed until the age of eight or nine.
Lazy eye arises when this maturation process has not been carried out correctly. There is no alteration in the structure of the eye, but the neuronal cells of vision are not capable of interpreting the stimuli that come from outside.
The lazy eye can be caused by three reasons. The most common cause is due to an alteration in the refraction of light – myopia, astigmatism or hyperopia – in one of the two eyes. In this way, the stimuli they collect are different; for example, one eye sees more clearly than the other and the brain decides to omit the most distorted image. Hence, one of the most frequent measures in treatment is the use of a patch on the eye that has better vision , to intensify the activity of the neuronal cells of the affected eye.
The brain acts in the same way in people with strabismus , but in this case the visual impairment is produced because each eye looks in a different direction . This is because there is an incoordination between the six muscles that surround the eye and prevents both from directing the focus to the same point. Thus, the brain chooses one of the two images it receives.
Lazy eye may also affect both eyes if you have been blind for a while. In this case we speak, for example, of congenital cataracts where the lens that is responsible for focus and is transparent, becomes opaque and prevents vision. In the case of the smallest and in order not to interrupt the visual maturation process, a surgery in time to remove the cataract will contribute to the recovery of vision.
Can lazy eye be cured?
Treatment at an early age can correct this visual defect. Preventive measures based on frequent ophthalmological examinations are key to discovering this pathology .
Since visual neurodevelopment is complete between the ages of eight and nine, if measures are taken before this age, the correction can be definitive. Beyond the age of nine, focus can improve, but may be chronically impaired.
That is why it is essential to be attentive to children’s behavior, such as if they are very close to objects or to do homework, the appearance of tics in the eye, redness, headaches or if they do not see long distances.
In the case of adults, it will be the ophthalmologist who will assess the possibilities of improvement, since vision recovery is more complicated.
Age is a key factor in the treatment of lazy eye and frequent ophthalmological examinations are essential to detect it. Otherwise, the risk in adulthood of total loss of vision in one eye increases, which will affect the ability to generate images in three dimensions , reducing the quality of life of the affected person; and it will be an impediment when carrying out daily activities, such as driving.
