Amblyopia / Lazy Eye (Adult)

What is Amblyopia?

Amblyopia, often referred to as “lazy eye," is a decrease in visual acuity — the eye’s ability to see — due to poor visual development in childhood in one or both eyes. It results in blurry, poor vision in one or both eyes. This can be due to various causes but happens most commonly to children with an undiagnosed need for glasses or with eye misalignment (strabismus). If caught early enough, usually before the age of eight years old, we can treat amblyopia, usually by patching the “good" eye.

Can Lazy Eye be Treated in Adults?

Unfortunately, by age eight, the connections between the eyes and the brain have nearly fully matured, and it becomes harder to treat this condition. For that reason, we do not treat amblyopia in adults, and it is rarely treated in children beyond eight years old. However, if the amblyopia is accompanied by strabismus (eye misalignment) or diplopia (double vision), we may be able to treat those separate conditions and would recommend a consult with one of our pediatric ophthalmologists.

To schedule an appointment, call (509) 456-0107