Expert Voices - American Academy of Ophthalmology

What is Amblyopia?
Causes and Symptoms of Amblyopia
Treatment of Amblyopia

Causes and Symptoms of Amblyopia

There are three major causes of amblyopia:

Amblyopia occurs most commonly with misaligned or crossed eyes. The crossed eye "turns off" to avoid double vision, becomes lazy or amblyopic, and the child prefers the better eye. Amblyopia may also occur when one eye is out of focus because it is more nearsighted, farsighted or astigmatic than the other. Sometimes, in these cases, the eyes can look normal but one eye has poor vision. This is the most difficult type of amblyopia to detect.

An eye disease such as a cataract (a clouding of the lens which prevents light from being focused properly by the eye), may lead to amblyopia. Any factor that prevents a clear image from being focused inside the eye can lead to the development of amblyopia in a child. Children may also inherit conditions from parents, therefore, children in a family with a history of amblyopia or crossed eyes should be checked by an ophthalmologist early in life.

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