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Amblyopia and Strabismus For Medical Students & GP

Samir Jamal

MD, FRCSC

KAUH

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Amblyopia

Unilateral or bilateral decrease in vision not corrected by glasses in otherwise healthy eyes.

(The patient sees nothing and the doctor sees nothing)

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Amblyopia

Potentially reversible unilateral or bilateral inhibition of normal visual development secondary to abnormal visual experience occurring during the critical period of visual development.

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Amblyopia

Basic Information: Newborns have poor vision at birth

Visual acuity reaches normal adult level by age of three years

Vision remains plastic until the age of 12 years

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Significance of Amblyopia

Prevalence: 2-3% of the general population suffer from amblyopia.

It is a treatable form of vision loss if diagnosed and treated in the first decade of life.

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Significance of Amblyopia

Poor vision in one eye loss of stereoacuity loss of job opportunities.

Amblyopia patients have higher chance of blindness than the general population.

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Classification of Amblyopia (Types/Causes)

1. Strabismic

2. Sensory deprivation

Ptosis

Cataracts

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Classification of Amblyopia (Types)

3. Ametropic

High hyperopic

High myopia

Astigmatism

4. Anisometropicunequal refractive errors

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Treatment of Amblyopia

1. Early diagnosis

2. Removal of the pathological obstacle

3. Treatment of refractive errors

4. Patching

5. Drops