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If you suspect your child may have amblyopia or their pediatrician recommends examination by an eye doctor, look no further than the experienced and dedicated doctors at the Kraff Eye Institute. Conveniently located in the heart of the Chicago Loop, you can feel confident you and child will receive the highest quality of care.
Amblyopia, also known as “lazy eye”, is caused by an extreme imbalance in the strength of the two eyes. This condition develops during childhood. When one of the eyes is significantly stronger than the other, the brain relies on the strong eye for visual input, robbing the weaker eye of the chance to develop properly. If left untreated, an amblyopic eye may never develop good vision and may even deteriorate to the point of becoming functionally blind.
Amblyopia is diagnosed during a thorough eye exam. A child's first eye exam should take place between the ages of 6 and 12 months old, and most pediatricians will routinely screen for general eye problems. Signs and symptoms of amblyopia can include:
Lazy eye treatment typically involves forcing the weaker, nonworking eye to work more actively. It is imperative that lazy eye treatment begins in early childhood to prevent any visual losses from becoming permanent.
Lasik surgery is a safe procedure that removes a microscopic amount of the corneal tissue, allowing light that passes through the eye to focus clearly on the retina. Lasik surgery will not allow someone who has amblyopia to see any better than their vision was pre-operatively in glasses or contact lenses.
The standard treatment for amblyopia is to patch the stronger of the two eyes. By patching the stronger eye, the brain is forced to rely on input from the weaker eye. This will allow proper visual development to occur in the weaker eye.
In the case that amblyopia is caused by one eye having a significantly more severe refractive error than the other, visual improvements can be achieved with glasses or contact lenses.
Similar to the eye patch treatment, Atropine treatment involves constant dilation of the stronger eye. This treatment also forces the brain to rely on the weaker eye for visual input, strengthening the weaker eye. This treatment is most useful in farsighted patients.
When a childs eye muscles are not strong enough to support natural eye movements, the eye with the weaker muscles can drift out of alignment with the stronger eye. The misaligned eye can become difficult to control and may not develop properly due to lack of use. The correction for this type of condition is surgery to properly align the eyes. Additional treatments might be necessary even after surgery to strengthen the weaker eye.
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Amblyopia occurs when there is a significant difference between the two eyes in their ability to focus and transmit images to the brain. This discrepancy between the two eyes creates a breakdown in how the brain and the eyes work together.Over time, the brain will rely more and more on the stronger eye, while the vision in the weaker eye gets worse. The most common cause of amblyopia is other vision problems including:
Anyone who may need to restore vision issues that have been caused by amblyopia, whether they are a child or an adult, is a candidate for amblyopia treatment. The exact treatment may vary depending on the age of the patient, the severity of the case, and if there are any other visual issues present.
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Most insurance companies will cover the cost of lazy eye surgery, as it corrects a medical condition that can cause a functional disability. It is recommended that you check with your insurance plan prior to scheduling your surgery. Any portion not covered by your insurance company would be the responsibility of the patient.
The Kraff Eye Institute is a proud partner of CareCredit, America's top patient payment program. CareCredit allows you to move forward with your vision care procedure, then pay for it at your convenience with low monthly payments.
With over 30 years of experience Dr. Colman Kraff is committed to providing his patient with the safest most effective treatment options, for every eye related illness or condition. Dr. Kraffs commitment to safety and advanced technology has provided his patients with incredibly successful results.
Some children are born with amblyopia and others develop it later in childhood, the chances of developing amblyopia are higher is kids who:
You can not prevent Lazy Eye, but you can stop it from getting worse or causing more permanent problems. The best way to prevent vision loss from lazy eye, is to get regular eye exams.
A pediatrician, optometrist or ophthalmologist can test for amblyopia. The tests may include reading an eye chart, dilation of the eyes, observing how the eyes move together, determining the prescription of each eye, and determining if there are any structural irregularities.
Although exercises for the eyes would not hurt or make lazy eye worse, there is no good evidence that suggests they can help cure lazy eye.
To find out more about treatment for Amblyopia, Stabismus or Lazy Eye, contact our office and schedule a comprehensive eye exam today.
312-444-1111Schedule Consultation
