Amblyopia is closely related to strabismus. Children’s brains learn to suppress double vision so effectively that the deviating eye gradually loses vision. It may be necessary to patch the good eye and wear glasses before treating the strabismus. Amblyopia does not occur when alternate eyes deviate, and adults do not develop amblyopia.
It is important for practitioners at the primary care level to realize that amblyopia affects approximately 6% of the pediatric population. Vision in the non-dominant eye is poor as a result of childhood visual abnormalities such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatism, crossed eyes or cataracts.
Symptoms, if they exist, include loss of depth perception and/or eye crossing. Because the prognosis is excellent if amblyopia is treated early, the American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology recommends regular eye screening before the age of 3 1/2 years, again by 5 years, and annually for school"-aged children.
