Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)

About Amblyopia

Amblyopia or “lazy eye” is a neuro-developmental vision problem that occurs during infancy and early childhood. Those with amblyopia experience reduced eyesight typically in one eye, even when best corrected with glasses or contacts. Left untreated, amblyopia can affect a child’s self-image, work, school, sports, friendships and may also lead towards depression.*

Details

When the ability to focus both eyes (binocular vision) is disrupted during early childhood development, the brain turns off or suppresses the incoming signals from the affected eye. Amblyopia occurs when vision development is disrupted in one of the following ways:

  1. Strabismic Amblyopia – This common form of amblyopia occurs when the eyes are misaligned, a condition known as strabismus. To avoid double vision, the brain shuts off or suppresses the weaker eye.
  2. Refractive Amblyopia –This form of amblyopia occurs when one eye has significantly uncorrected nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism. When this happens, the brain favors the eye with better vision and shuts off or suppresses the weaker eye.
  3. Deprivation Amblyopia –This form of amblyopia occurs when light is blocked from entering an eye, such as cataracts or astigmatism. As a result of the obstruction, one eye becomes weaker, and the brain favors the eye without the obstruction, turning off or suppresses the weaker eye.

Amblyopia affects over 12 million people in the US alone (about 3.5% of the US population) and often goes undetected. However, this condition can be easily identified by a comprehensive eye health and vision evaluation. Those with amblyopia may have reduced eyesight varying from:

  • Mild               20/25 – 20/40
  • Moderate      20/50 – 20/80
  • Severe          worse than 20/100

Symptoms typically include:

  • Squinting or shutting an eye
  • Impaired depth perception
  • Poor eye-hand coordination
  • Tripping and/or accident prone
  • Trouble with micro eye movement
  • Slower reading speed and comprehension

Treatment – Beyond Patching

Until recent advancements, treating amblyopia with an eye patch was the general model of care. However, patching: 

  • Is very uncomfortable for the patient
  • Has multiple negative side effects
  • Has limited results based on age and usually not recommended past age 10
  • Does not usually develop the patient’s ability to obtain normal binocular vision with depth perception

Now there are better evidence-based methods for treating amblyopia that goes beyond patching.  

At Wow Vision Therapy, we are a leading developmental and rehabilitative vision therapy practice. Our doctors and board-certified vision therapists treat amblyopia with intensive office-based vision therapy for more effective results. We address amblyopia with a personalized approach. Each session is one-on-one (therapist-to-patient), conducted under doctor supervision. Our providers utilize the latest technology and methods, including in-office and home-support virtual reality to develop binocular vision and depth perception, making treatment enjoyable and productive. Furthermore, our treatment is designed for all ages. 

Our advanced treatment includes:

  • In-Office and Home-Support Virtual Reality
  • Intensive Binocular Vision Therapy
  • Visual Processing Development
  • Oculomotor Vision Therapy
  • Eye-Hand Coordination Development
  • Accommodation “Eye Focusing” Therapy

Results

After treatment, our patients improve their:

  • Visual Acuity (Eyesight)
  • Binocular Vision
  • Depth Perception (3D Vision)
  • Visual Processing Abilities
  • Eye-Hand Coordination
  • Reading Fluency

Testimonials

He’s so happy to be able to read chapter books; finally, he’s been interested in but could never read. Lucas also used to fail all comprehension homework. His teachers would say he needed Summer School to get caught up! Now Lucas passes all comprehension work.

- Jenny

Now our bedtime snuggles are just as I had always imagined, Grace is happy and confident! Last week she even told me that on that day she felt like the smartest kid in the class! Our family will be eternally grateful for Wow Vision Therapy, Dr. Bartolini, and a very special thank you to our rock/leader/mentor/cheerleader Miss Lauren!

– Jessica

Vision Therapy has been the best gift ever given to Madelyn and our family. Now Madelyn has more focus when she is working on something and can sit still for longer periods of time. Madelyn is now on track to be a successful First Grader, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for her. We are so blessed to find this place and would highly recommend Wow Vision Therapy to everyone.

- Tom & Kayla

Vision Therapy has been the best gift ever given to Madelyn and our family. Now Madelyn has more focus when she is working on something and can sit still for longer periods of time. Madelyn is now on track to be a successful First Grader, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for her. We are so blessed to find this place and would highly recommend Wow Vision Therapy to everyone.

- Tom & Kayla

Get In Touch

To learn more, please fill out the form below and one of our Patient Care Coordinators will be in touch to answer your questions or help schedule an evaluation for you.


ADDITIONAL RESOURCES and Research

Vision Therapy and Virtual Reality Applications

A Binocular Approach to Treating Amblyopia: Antisuppression Therapy

A New Binocular Approach to the Treatment of Amblyopia in Adults Well Beyond the Critical Period of Visual Development

A New Form of Rapid Binocular Plasticity in Adult with Amblyopia

Amblyopia and Binocular Vision

Binocular Combination in Anisometropic Amblyopia

Binocular Vision in Amblyopia: Structure, Suppression and Plasticity

Perceptual Learning Improves Visual Performance in Juvenile Amblyopia

Prentice Award Lecture 2011: Removing the Brakes on Plasticity in the Amblyopic Brain

Stereopsis and Amblyopia: A mini-review

The Amblyopia Project | VisionHelp

The Effect of Video Game Training on the Vision of Adults with Bilateral Deprivation Amblyopia

The Pattern of Learned Visual Improvements in Adult Amblyopia

Self-perception of School-Aged Children With Amblyopia and Its Association With Reading Speed and Motor Skills

What is amblyopia (lazy eye)? | EyeSmart — American Academy of Ophthalmology

Advanced Treatment for Amblyopia (Lazy Eye) | Wow Vision Therapy

Successful Advanced Amblyopia Treatment | Wow Vision Therapy

Successful Treatment of Amblyopia | Wow Vision Therapy

Successful Adult Amblyopia Treatment | Wow Vision Therapy