Amblyopia in children

Amblyopic child: what does this mean?

Amblyopia is poor vision in one eye (or both) due to an asymmetry in the development of the connections between the two eyes and the visual cortex.

They can be of 2 types:

• Organic amblyopia : linked to an ocular lesion, this form is rarer
• Functional amblyopia : linked to a visual defect, the brain ignores the image of one of the two eyes, which impacts vision.

The management of amblyopia consists of stimulating the “laziest” eye with the following techniques:

• Permanent wearing of glasses
• Application of dressings or eye drops that prevent the use of the efficient eye, in order to stimulate the “lazy” eye
• Treatment of strabismus

How can I spot amblyopia in my child?

Amblyopia manifests itself in children from the first months. Due to his young age, he is not able to express himself clearly. However, a few signs can alert parents:

• The child rubs his eyes regularly
• He covers one eye
• The child has eyes that look in different directions
• The child does not look at you in the face, he turns his head to the side

Certain factors also favor the development of amblyopia:

• Hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism
• Refraction asymmetry
• Family history of refractive error
• Malformations, corneal disorder
• Neuromotor disorders…