Amblyopia the loss of the ability to see clearly through one eye. It is also called "lazy eye." It is the most common cause of vision problems in children.
Alternative Names
Lazy eye
Causes
Amblyopia occurs when the nerve pathway from one eye to the brain does not develop during childhood. This happens because the abnormal eye sends a blurred image or the wrong image to the brain.
This confuses the brain, and the brain may learn to ignore the image from the weaker eye.
Strabismus (crossed eyes) is the most common cause of amblyopia. There is often a family history of this condition.
The term "lazy eye" refers to amblyopia, which often occurs along with strabismus. However, amblyopia can occur without strabismus. Also, people can have strabismus without amblyopia.
Other causes include:
- Childhood cataracts
- Farsightedness, nearsightedness, or astigmatism, especially if it is greater in one eye