Amblyopia = myopia? Is it okay if you can see well? West China experts: Four pitfalls of amblyopia, don't step into them!

Does your baby have these strange "little actions":

As I was writing, I fell sideways ;

I always bump into things on the street when I walk;

Like to look with head tilted ;

...

Be careful!

Your child may be amblyopic !

Don’t take it lightly!

In the understanding of many friends, amblyopia is just a matter of wearing an eye patch or glasses.

But in fact, amblyopia is not as simple as everyone thinks. If you don’t correct it in time when the baby is still young, it will "steal" their eyesight !

This is because the essence of amblyopia is abnormal function of the visual area of ​​the cerebral cortex .

Under normal circumstances, our brain processes the visual information received by each eye into a clear and complete picture.

However, people with amblyopia have reduced information processing ability in the visual cortex of their brains . When the difference in visual information transmitted to the brain by the two eyes is too great, or the visual signals cannot be transmitted correctly, the brain will "give up" the abnormal part, and vision development will be affected. Even with glasses, they will not be able to see clearly (normal corrected vision cannot be achieved).

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Amblyopia usually occurs because the eyes encounter obstacles during development :

Strabismus

When the two eyes see inconsistent things or see the same thing twice , the brain simply ignores the image from one eye in order to avoid "fighting".

Anisometropia

The difference in the power of the two eyes is too great , just like one leg being longer than the other. Of course, walking is unstable, and in the end one has to hop around on just one leg .

High refractive error

Severe myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism makes the images seen by the eyes blurry and affects visual development .

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Form deprivation

Diseases such as congenital cataracts block the line of sight and hinder the input of visual stimuli .

Many mothers and fathers have misunderstandings about amblyopia, which causes their children to miss the best time for treatment . Today we will review several common misunderstandings :

Myth 1

Amblyopia = myopia? NO! These are two different things!

Many parents assume their children are nearsighted when they see them squinting and looking closely at objects. They think that the problem can be solved with laser surgery when the children grow up, and there is no need to rush to see a doctor.

But in fact, amblyopia and myopia are completely different !

Image source: Photo Network

Myopia is caused by a problem with the "lens" of the eye, and you can see clearly by wearing glasses ; amblyopia is caused by the visual cortex of the brain "going on strike", and it must be treated as soon as possible to stimulate it to "work" again~

In other words, laser surgery cannot solve the problem of amblyopia !

Once the critical period of visual development is missed, it is very difficult to cure .

Myth 2

Is it okay if the baby can see? NO! Amblyopia is very good at "disguising"!

Many parents observe their children's daily living habits and feel that there is nothing wrong with them, so they become a bit "lazy" and think that there must be no problem with their children's eyesight, so there is no need to check.

But you need to be careful! Amblyopia in its early stages is like an "invisible killer" and the child himself can't even tell. If you only rely on daily observation, it is difficult to detect the child's vision problems !

The correct approach is to take your child for a professional eyesight check every year starting from the age of 3 !

The normal range of vision for three-year-olds is usually between 0.5 and 0.8 . Specifically, the vision level of most three-year-olds should be around 0.6. However, this range is not absolute .

If a child's monocular vision is significantly lower than 0.5, or the difference between the vision of the two eyes is more than two lines, it may indicate visual abnormalities .

In this case, it is recommended that parents take their children to the hospital for a detailed examination in time .

Myth 3

Will myopia get worse the longer I wear glasses? NO! Glasses are the "savior" for children with amblyopia!

Many parents panic when they hear their kids are going to wear glasses: "Wearing glasses will deform your eyes! The degree will get worse! You won't be able to take them off in the future!"

Glasses are wronged ! They are supposed to help children with amblyopia correct their vision, but they are regarded as "scapegoats". They help children see the world clearly and promote visual development .

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Regular check-ups and developing good eye habits will help keep your eyesight stable .

Problems like eye deformation are caused by severe myopia , so don’t blame the glasses!

Myth 4

Amblyopia training is too troublesome, can I just not do it? NO! Only by persisting in training can you win!

Some parents find training troublesome after just a few days, and become soft-hearted as soon as their children start to cry: “Forget it, forget it, no more training, just let nature take its course!”

But in fact, the treatment of amblyopia is a "long-term battle" and you can't just give it a try for three days and rest for two days !

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If you are worried that your child can't sit still or stick to it, don't worry too much~

Nowadays , many amblyopia treatment devices and treatment methods have been optimized according to the characteristics of children, making them both interesting and effective .

For example, some therapeutic devices incorporate gamification design to allow children to complete training while having fun; other methods use animations, interactive stories and other forms to attract children's attention, allowing them to persist without realizing it.

In addition, the attitude and companionship of parents are also crucial . During the treatment process, parents can set small goals with their children and give small rewards after completing a training session, so that children can feel a sense of accomplishment .

At the same time, parents should remain patient and confident and not give up because of temporary difficulties .

After all, the effects of amblyopia treatment often take time to accumulate, and only by persisting to the end can you see your child's vision gradually improve .

Amblyopia is not terrible. What is terrible is our misunderstanding and neglect of it.

Parents should get rid of misunderstandings. Once they find that their children have abnormal vision, they should seek medical attention in time and cooperate with the doctor for scientific treatment.

Image source: Photo Network

Let us work together to protect children’s eye health and let them have a clear and bright future!

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

Experts collaborating on this article

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Editor: Yang Yali

Map: Eastern Zhou Dynasty