What is a”lazy eye?”
The medical term for “lazy eye” is AMBLYOPIA: a healthy eye that does not see. The eye became amblyopic either because the eyes were crooked or one eye had a very different refractive error than the other. To eliminate double vision the brain preferred to use one eye only. Patching the GOOD EYE during childhood is the most common method to force an amblyopic eye back to duty. Patching has no effect on the eye muscles per se; it simply forces the brain to use the unpatched eye. Most authorities claim that amblyopia must be corrected before age 4. After that deadline, the visual apparatus is fully matured and no additional improvement in vision should be expected. There are always exceptions! Interestingly, should a person with poor vision due to amblyopia lose sight in their GOOD EYE, the vision should return in the amblyopic eye – even in adults. Therefore, it is important to always wear eye protection. You never know when you’re going to need that second eye. Past age 8, amblyopia doe
