Amblyopia or also known as Lazy eye, is most common among children before age 6. It is caused due to eye & brain not functioning well together resulting in loss or lack of development of central vision in one eye, one eye being more nearsighted or farsighted than the other, or clouding of the lens of an eye; without affecting side (peripheral) vision. It often occurs in people having crossed eyes (misalignment).

Amblyopia can be difficult to detect so vision testing is recommended for all children around ages of four to five. Common symptoms of diagnosing Lazy Eye may include noticeably favoring one eye or a tendency to bump into objects on one side. Lazy eye if diagnosed early until the preteen, teen or adult years, can be treated successfully. After the underlying cause is fixed, vision is not restored right away, as the mechanism also involves the brain.

For some children, eye glasses can be the only treatment needed while for other it can include a combination of prescription lenses, prisms, vision therapy and eye patching. In Eye patching treatments force the child to use the weaker eye. This is done by either using a patch or putting atropine in the stronger eye. In vision therapy, patients learn how to use the two eyes together, which helps prevent lazy eye from reoccurring.

Lazy eye will not go away on its own. If not diagnosed until the preteen, teen or adult years, treatment takes longer and is often less effective.