Amblyopia in Adults

In adults, amblyopia can develop due to a drooping eyelid, cataract or tumour that prevents light from entering an eye. A difference in the refractive error between the two eyes can also cause this condition.

Strabismus, the misalignment of two eyes, can also cause amblyopia. When a patient has this condition, their brain sees objects in double. This annoys the brain, prompting it to suppress one image for comfort and correction.

Eventually, the brain will ‘turn off’ the weak eye, causing amblyopia or lazy eye.

Amblyopia is also hereditary. If a patient was born with this condition but was undiagnosed in childhood, the symptoms may become more severe or pronounced during adulthood. An ophthalmologist will come up with the diagnosis after a comprehensive eye exam.

Aside from one eye wandering inward or outward, other symptoms of amblyopia in adults include the following:

• Poor depth perception
• Eyes that do not appear to work together
• Frequent head tilting, eye squinting or shutting
• Frequent eye strain, eye fatigue and headaches

Amblyopia is usually detected during a comprehensive eye exam. The specialist may conduct additional tests to evaluate the patient’s binocular function, visual acuity and skills to diagnose lazy eye.

This reason highlights the importance of undergoing an annual comprehensive eye exam.

Yes. In the past, it was believed amblyopia was only treatable in children 10 years and below. Treatment is more effective when it is given to patients at an early age.

However, the right lazy eye treatment for adults can help older patients overcome this vision condition. It is possible to retrain a person’s visual system, restore binocular vision and correct amblyopia at any age

Lazy eye treatment in Dubai for adults includes the following options:

Vision Therapy

Vision therapy involves training the patient’s two eyes to work together to obtain clear and comfortable binocular vision. The specially selected exercises aim to improve the communication between the brain and eyes.

This treatment includes the following exercises or programmes:

• Accommodation, to improve the eyes’ ability to focus on objects when they move farther away and closer together.
• Pursuits or eye tracking, to help the eyes follow moving objects smoothly and efficiently.
• Fixation, to enhance the eyes’ visual accuracy and ability to maintain their gaze on an object.
• Saccades or eye jumps, to help the eyes move quickly and accurately when reading texts.
• Stereopsis training, to improve binocular vision and depth perception.

Prescription glasses

The right prescription lenses that retrain or encourage binocular vision can also help treat amblyopia.

Eye patching

Some patients can strengthen their weaker eye by blocking or fogging the working eye. This is done by eye patching. An ophthalmologist may also prescribe special lenses or eye drops.

If the amblyopia is caused by an obstruction to the eye or drooping eyelid, the patient may undergo surgery to have the condition removed or corrected.

Vision therapy is considered the most effective among the recommended treatment options since it addresses the root causes of amblyopia by improving the visual skills of the lazy eye.

Eye specialists in Dubai will customise the treatment programme to ensure the patient gets the most from vision therapy.

When left untreated, amblyopia can cause single-eye vision impairment and functional blindness, which can lead to permanent vision loss.

It can also affect the patient’s central vision and lead to other eye conditions, such as strabismus, if this is not the cause of amblyopia.

Moreover, adults with amblyopia will continue to experience the mentioned symptoms, such as eye fatigue, headaches, and poor depth perception, which will affect their productivity, participation in sports and other activities, and daily living.

 Please contact us if you have questions about adult amblyopia. Our eye specialists are here to help.