Lazy eye

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Amblyopia is often called lazy eye.

Amblyopia is a common condition affecting one or both eyes. It usually occurs in children. Approximately 1-4% of children have amblyopia.

The retina is at the back of the eye. Light rays travel through the lens at the front of the eye and form images on the retina. The retina then sends messages to the brain so that it recognises the objects we are seeing.

Our vision starts to develop as soon as we are born, and stops around the age of seven or eight. After this, no further development happens until sight deteriorates with age or after eye injury or disease. It is important that clear images are formed in the eye and sent to the brain during childhood so that sight develops normally. If there is a problem with this development, normal vision may not ever develop in the affected eye.

If you have lazy eye, the retina (the light sensitive part at the back of the eye) does not receive and send clear images. The child cannot focus properly with one of their eyes, but they may not realise this because the other eye makes up for it. When this happens, the brain ignores the information from the affected eye and only uses information from the â€˜goodâ€™ eye and the other eye becomes â€˜lazyâ€™.

Ideally, lazy eye needs to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible, preferably before the age of six.