New Research: “Lazy Eye” Treatable in Some Teens

Newswise — Results of a nationwide clinical trial show that amblyopia—or "lazy eye" —can be treated in some teenagers and older children.

The findings, published today in the journal Archives of Ophthalmology, contradict conventional medical wisdom, which has held that amblyopia must be treated in early childhood.

"This shows that the human visual system is much more adaptable than we'd previously thought," says Oscar A. Cruz, M.D., chairman of the department of ophthalmology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and a researcher in the trial. "Clinicians should be screening children of all ages for amblyopia, not just those in preschool."

Amblyopia occurs when the brain favors one eye over the other. The condition can be corrected by temporarily impairing vision in the "strong" eye, forcing the weak eye to work harder to compensate. This traditionally has been accomplished when a child wears an eye patch over the strong eye, or uses special drops to blur vision in the strong eye.

It is known that once people reach a certain age, the brain becomes less adaptable, and these techniques cease to be effective. However, the research shows that the children much older than previously thought may benefit from treatment.

Children in the study were divided randomly into two groups. One group was fitted with new prescription glasses only. The other group was fitted with glasses as well as an eye patch, or the eye patch along with special eye drops, and asked to perform regular activities that required them to focus on near objects.

Success was defined as the ability to read (with the eye with amblyopia) at least two more lines on a standard eye chart. The study investigators found that 53 percent of children ages 7 to 12 who received both glasses and treatment met this standard, compared to only 25 percent of those who received glasses alone.

They found that 25 percent of children ages 13 to 17 who received treatment met the standard, compared to 23 percent in the group who received only glasses. In teenagers who had received no prior treatment for amblyopia, 47 percent showed at least two lines of improvement, compared to 20 percent who were treated with glasses alone.

Despite the benefits of the treatment, most children, including those who responded to treatment, were left with some visual impairment. They did not obtain "20/20" vision.

The clinical trial--which was funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health--included 507 children at 49 eye centers nationwide, including Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first M.D. degree west of the Mississippi River. Saint Louis University School of Medicine is a pioneer in geriatric medicine, organ transplantation, chronic disease prevention, cardiovascular disease, neurosciences and vaccine research, among others. The School of Medicine trains physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health services on a local, national and international level.