Lazy eye in adults

Lazy eye (amblyopia) is a relatively common vision impairment in the population. Lazy eye is not associated with an anatomical problem in the structure of the eye, but rather with a "communication problem" between the brain and the eye. Following a lack of visual stimuli at the beginning of life for various reasons, the vision center in the brain receives an unfocused image from one of the eyes and accordingly chooses to focus on the information received from one eye. As a result, the brain does not use one of the eyes over time, the quality of vision in this eye is impaired and its function fades. In prolonged conditions, one can reach a complete lack of vision in the eye, as also with lazy eye in childhood. Nevertheless, in most cases, lazy eye is characterized mainly by a decrease in visual acuity that is not corrected with optical aids (glasses or contact lenses). Sometimes there may be additional signs such as a reduction in contrast sensitivity and impairment of depth perception.

Causes of lazy eye in adulthood

Among the various causes of lazy eye one can find strabismus, congenital cataract, drooping eyelid or other vision impairments (such as farsightedness and nearsightedness). Usually, lazy eye in adults stems from a lazy eye that was not treated in time in childhood or was not treated optimally.

Symptoms of lazy eye in adulthood

As noted, the central problem in lazy eye in adults is not located in the eye but in the communication and information pathways between the eye and the brain. Accordingly, the poor visual acuity that characterizes lazy eye remains poor even with the use of glasses or contact lenses. Among other things, one can identify additional signs of lazy eye in adults such as: double vision, strabismus, a low level of contrast, a tendency to bump into objects and more.

Diagnosis of lazy eye

In most cases, only one of the two eyes is defined as a lazy eye. Thanks to the preserved quality of vision in the second eye, the children adapt to the given vision state and accordingly do not complain about vision problems. Therefore, the parents and children do not notice the problem and it is not diagnosed. Therefore, it is important to perform routine examinations of the eyes even in the absence of external signs of eye problems, at a qualified doctor.

Diagnosing lazy eye in children is of great importance, especially at the stage when the brain is developing and still susceptible to influence. It should be noted that the effect of treatments for lazy eye decreases with age and peaks in children up to age 9. Unlike treatment in children, treatment in adults focuses on the vision center in the brain and does not treat the eye itself.

Treatment of lazy eye

Treatment for lazy eye is very effective in the childhood years and it has a narrow window of time, since its effect decreases over the years. Today, innovative developments in healing methods have succeeded in raising the success rates of treatment at later stages of life. Following this, in most cases of lazy eye in adults over the age of 20, visual acuity cannot be improved significantly, but other phenomena accompanying the lazy eye, such as strabismus, can be improved.

Many adults who did not previously treat their lazy eye turn to treatment that will provide them with better vision and also a more aesthetic appearance of the eye in the case of strabismus. The main treatment in adulthood focuses on training the vision center in the brain. As part of the treatment, visual stimuli are given to the brain by computerized systems that over time improve the way the visual image is received in the vision center, and visual acuity improves. This type of treatment is called neuro-vision.

It should be noted that conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, abnormal corneal thickness or pregnancy prevent suitability for the treatment. Therefore, one must check eligibility for the treatment in people with lazy eyes who want to try the procedure. This is because the treatment involves projecting images onto a computer screen.

Treatment for lazy eye in adults with the neuro-vision method has been proven very effective in most cases. As noted, it is performed without contact with the eye so that there is no concern for side effects or unusual risks. The only disadvantage of this treatment is its high cost.

Summary

From the above, lazy eye is a relatively common phenomenon. It appears in the childhood years and, without proper treatment, one can also identify lazy eye in adults. Early identification and treatment of lazy eye in children can improve visual acuity and prevent visual deterioration in the future.