How to Help Correct Lazy Eye in Children

Lazy eye, or Amblyopia, is a common condition where one eye is weaker than the other. Amblyopia causes the stronger eye to compensate for the weaker eye. This often leads the brain to disregard the image the lazy eye sees. If amblyopia is corrected when the child is under the age of 10, the weaker eye can become stronger and reduce degeneration. Read on to learn more.

Things You'll Need

• Glasses
• Eye patch

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Visit the optometrist. Make an appointment with the eye doctor to diagnose the lazy eye and prescribe eye glasses for the child.

• 2

  Wear the glasses. The child needs to wear the glasses all the time. This helps strengthen the weaker eye.

• 3

  Put a patch over the stronger eye for 2 to three hours each day. The child must use the eye affected by amblyopia in order to make it stronger.

• 4

  Ask the doctor about atropine eye drops. Children using the drop and the patch have 30 percent better vision in their affected eye. There are some side effects associated with atropine that must be reviewed before treatment.