Paediatric Eye Conditions – Amblyopia

THONEH’s Paediatric Ophthalmologists aim to ensure that each child has a bright and clear future. With the latest technologies and internationally recognised best practices supporting our specialists, we ensure your child is given optimal eye care for the various conditions affecting the paediatric population.

Among the commonest eye problem in children are:-

1. Refractive Error
2. Amblyopia (long eye)
3. Strabismus (squint)

AMBLYOPIA

What is Amblyopia ?

• Reduced vision in one or both eyes due to deprivation of vision.
• Amblyopia is a term used when the vision of one eye is reduced because the affected eye and the brain do not work together properly.
• Though the affected eye looks normal, it does not function normally.
• The brain instead favors the other “normal” eye.
• If the child is left untreated before the age of 8, it may result in permanent poor vision of the affected eye.

What cause ?

• Uncorrected refractive errors
• Squint
• Congenital cataract (formation of cataract at birth)
• Droopy eyelid
• Corneal opacity

Symptoms and sign of Amblyopia ?

• Unable to read the whiteboard clearly in class.
• Trouble catching a ball during play and other objects thrown through the air.
• Avoidance of tasks involving depth perception (the ability to judge the space between two objects).
• Bumping into doors and other stationary objects.
• Avoidance in doing tasks that require near vision such as reading and doing homework.
• Abnormal head posture such as tilting the head to one side to see better.

How Amblyopia treated ?

• Correction of refractive errors by prescription spectacles.
• Use of an eye patch over the normal eye to encourage the use of the affected eye. This treatment is more effective before the age of 8 years.