Amblyopia Therapy in Manlius and Syracuse, NY

The eyes and brain work together to capture light, convert it into electrical signals, and process those signals to create a visual perception of the world around us. This is known as the human vision system. A person’s vision develops in the first few years of life. When this process does not progress correctly, it can lead to visual complications. One possible outcome is amblyopia, also known as lazy eye.

Savedoff, Ciccone & Davis, Doctors of Optometry, P.C., provides comprehensive vision services and professional care to patients in the Manlius and Syracuse, NY, areas living with a wide range of visual complications, including amblyopia. Our solutions include vision therapy for amblyopia administered by our team of certified optometrists. Discover more about this condition and what you can expect from our skilled team.

What Is Amblyopia?

Amblyopia is clinically categorized as a reduction of visual acuity in one or both eyes. It’s the result of abnormal binocular interaction during visual development. Simply put, amblyopia is a vision disorder that affects a person’s ability to see clearly out of both eyes and occurs when there’s a breakdown in how the brain and the eye work together.

The condition gets labeled as lazy eye because one eye works better than the other. Over time, because vision is stronger in one eye, the brain relies more on the stronger eye. This causes vision in the weaker eye to get worse and information from that eye to be ignored or suppressed.

Typically, amblyopia begins in childhood and is the most common cause of vision dysfunction in adolescents. Studies show that three out of every 100 children have some form of amblyopia. While the condition is more commonly found in children, adults can develop the condition too. Approximately 2%–4% of the U.S. population has amblyopia.

Amblyopia Symptoms and Causes

Identifying amblyopia isn’t always easy and symptoms can be difficult to notice. In many instances, amblyopia goes unreported until a qualified medical practitioner diagnoses the disorder. A child or adult with amblyopia may demonstrate the following warning signs:

• Routinely failing to avoid objects and bumping into them
• Favoring one side of the body over the other
• Closing one eye to see clearer or squint
• Frequently tilting their head to one side
• Crossed eyes
• Droopy eyelid
• Poor hand-eye coordination
• Difficulty with depth perception

The causes of amblyopia can include:

• Strabismus: Known as strabismic amblyopia, this is when the eyes aren’t aligned properly, causing the brain to ignore one eye in favor of the eye that is straight.
• Refractive error: Referred to as refractive amblyopia, this can include nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, especially if it’s more severe in one eye. 
• Deprivation: Amblyopia can be caused by any condition that prevents light from entering the eye, such as a cataract, corneal opacity, or droopy eyelid. 
• Nutritional deficiencies: Deficiencies in B complex vitamins, such as thiamin, niacin, vitamin B12, and folate, can cause amblyopia. This is called nutritional amblyopia.
• Premature birth: Babies born prematurely or with a low birth weight are more likely to develop amblyopia. 
• Developmental delays: Disorders that cause developmental delays can be the cause of amblyopia.

Our Amblyopia Therapy Services

Amblyopia is treatable but must be addressed early. Treatment of amblyopia involves strengthening the weaker eye by blocking vision from the stronger eye. Using this method, the brain is forced to use images from the weaker eye to see.

Savedoff, Ciccone & Davis, Doctors of Optometry, P.C., uses this approach and other effective forms of treatment to provide care to individuals living with amblyopia. After conducting an in-depth eye health examination, our doctors craft a personalized care plan to correct amblyopia and improve visual abilities.

Under the supervision of our team, patients will perform various eye exercises to strengthen their lazy eye. Amblyopia vision therapy can also include the use of lenses, prisms, filters, patches, and other specialized equipment to help patients achieve vision goals.