Amblyopia

The conventional definition of lazy eye is reduced vision resulting in disuse of the eye. Amblyopia is not a turned or wandering eye but may be the consequence of either of these problems. If a person's eye becomes misaligned (for example crossed in or turned out) the brain may selectively ignore the image coming from the turned eye. In time the nervous pathways from the eye to the brain become underdeveloped and a lazy eye develops.

Amblyopia is not an optical problem but a problem involving the pathway from the eye to the visual cortex of the brain. Although amblyopia commonly is called "lazy eye", the eye in this condition is not really lazy. It simply has not recieved proper stimulation for some of the following reasons

1. The eye has a prescription much different from the other eye. This inequality in sight and the discrepancy in size of the images in the two eyes make it hard for the visual cortex of the brain to integrate the two received images. If this happens before the age of six, visual development will not proceed normally. The result is reduced visual acuity we call amblyopia.

2. One eye turns in, out or up at all times and the problem begins before age six. When the two eyes are not able to align on a target, the child will initially experience double vision. As double vision is intolerable to the brain, one of the adaptations to help eliminate it is to reduce the visual acuity in the turned eye so that the brain will learn to ignore it.

Amblyopia generally does not develop once the visual system has matured (after age 8 or 9)

Signs & Symptoms
The presence of one of the above conditions should signal the possibility of a coexisting lazy eye. Only a thorough professional eye examination can verify the diagnosis

Conventional Treatment
A patch is prescribed for the "good" or normal eye, requiring the lazy eye to be used. It is thus made stronger. The extent and duration of the patching depends on the age of the child, the severity of the lazy eye and the response to treatment. Dilating the pupil of the normal eye is used in occasional cases where patching cannot be done. Methods to correct the underlying abnormality that also may correct the lazy eye include eye muscle surgery, vision therapy, prescription glasses or lid surgery.

Complementary Approach
Diet: Vision Diet Eye exercises: section 5 eye exercises Nutrients: Lutein, Bilberry, Multi-Green Formula

Oriental medicine approach
In TCM, amblyopia can be caused by Kidney Yin deficiency and/or kidney essence (Jing).

Kidney Yin Deficiency or Kidney Jing Deficiency

 * Treatment Principles:** Nourish the Liver, enrich the Kidneys, improve vision
 * Herbal Treatment:** Ming Mu Di Huang Wan
 * Acupuncture Treatment:** GV-20, LI-4, SP-6, ST-36, LR-8, KI-3, KI-6