Lazy eye, or amblyopia, is the loss or lack of development of central vision in one eye - it is often associated with crossed-eyes or a large difference in the degree of nearsightedness or farsightedness between the two eyes. Lazy eye can result from a failure to use both eyes together and is unrelated to any eye health problem. It is not correctable with lenses. Symptoms may include noticeably favoring one eye or a tendency to bump into objects on one side, but are not always obvious.

 

Lazy eye usually develops before age six, and the good news is that early diagnosis increases the chance for complete recovery. Treatment may include a combination of prescription lenses, prisms, vision therapy and eye patching. Vision therapy teaches the two eyes how to work together, which helps prevent lazy eye from reoccurring.

 

Lazy eye will not go away on its own. If not diagnosed until the pre-teen, teen or adult years, treatment takes longer and is often less effective. To increase the opportunity for early diagnosis and treatment, the California Optometric Association recommends an initial infant eye exam at six months of age and comprehensive eye exams at age two and again before starting school and every other year thereafter.