One of the most frequently occurring optical conditions is having a lazy eye. It affects up to three percent of children, staying with them even as they mature into fully grown adults. Although having a lazy eye is often not debilitating, it can cause reduced vision in the affected eye.
Technology has rapidly developed to address several visual development disorders, especially myopia and hyperopia. An immensely popular form of treatment is laser eye surgery, which has proven to be effective at correcting problematic vision. However, you may be wondering if laser eye surgery can also fix a lazy eye.
Here’s what you need to know about the condition and whether it can be treated with laser eye surgery:
What is a Lazy Eye?
A lazy eye, known as amblyopia, happens when a developing brain favours one eye over the other. There are two causes of this. The first is when the eyes are misaligned, known as strabismus, and looks like having crossed eyes. In this case, both eyes do not look in the same direction at the same time, which makes it difficult for the brain to process the visual perception of their surroundings.
The second cause is anisometropia, or when the eyes have varying amounts of refractive error. The brain then focuses on the better working eye and neglects the other eye. The neglected, weaker eye starts to lose vision over time.
How Does It Occur?
It occurs fairly frequently, with around two to three children out of a hundred experiencing inconsistency in their eyes at birth. However, if this isn’t treated in time, this can develop into amblyopia.
Wearing corrective glasses can effectively treat these misalignments or errors to help strengthen the weaker eye. This must be done as soon as possible because the optical pathways between the brain and eye fully develop once a child reaches seven years of age, complicating treatment. In this case, amblyopia will continue well into adulthood.
Can It Be Fixed?
Once these pathways fully establish, it is usually not possible to correct a lazy eye. It becomes a neurological problem since the brain underutilizes the eye, so the direct treatment to the eyes will not improve the condition. While it can improve vision in the lazy eye, it won’t fix the alignment problem.
Still, many patients with amblyopia continue to opt for laser eye treatment. Many of them depend on glasses or lenses to correct their vision, which laser eye surgery does in a more effective, permanent, and convenient manner. This surgery can boost vision so successfully that patients typically no longer need their glasses or use them as often.
However, each case of amblyopia is different. Only proper consultation with a professional will provide a more comprehensive understanding of your situation. Sometimes, surgery is still possible if the lazy eye is not notably weaker.
Additionally, laser eye surgery that treats farsightedness or astigmatism can prevent the development of amblyopia later. This is because the brain may begin to snub the problematic eye and focus on the stronger one. As laser eye surgery corrects refractive errors, this stops the brain from favouring one eye.
Conclusion
Although laser eye surgery cannot correct a lazy eye in misalignment, it can improve its vision. It will prevent eye deterioration, maintain optimal eyesight levels, and eliminate the need for glasses to help correct problematic vision problems. However, consulting with an ophthalmologist is the best way to determine your optical condition’s most advantageous solutions.
Are you looking for an eye centre to address your visual problems? Be sure to visit us at Valley Laser Eye Centre!
Book your consultation with us today!
*Disclaimer: This blog post does not replace medical advice and should not be implemented prior to consulting a fully certified medical professional.
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