Amblyopia & Strabismus

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RPB-supported researchers are working hard to improve the management and early detection of amblyopia and strabismus.

The RPB Walt and Lilly Disney Foundation Award for Amblyopia Research is one of the only major research grants of its kind. Learn more about this ongoing grant here.

Amblyopia refers to reduced vision due to incorrect signaling between the eye and brain. Commonly referred to as "lazy eye," it usually only affects one eye. Early detection and treatment are key, since vision suppression can be rapid and permanent.

Strabismus, a condition of misaligned eyes, is the most common cause of amblyopia. When the eyes point in different directions, two separate images are sent to the brain, resulting in double vision. The brain suppresses activity of the misaligned eye in order to form a single image, which results in an amblyopic eye and loss of depth perception.

Treatment

Amblyopia is the leading cause of visual impairment in children, occurring in 5% of the population. Amblyopia is treated by making the affected eye work harder to encourage its development. Vision in the strong eye is blocked by use of a patch or eye drops that blur the vision.

Strabismus is usually treated by surgery to shorten or reposition the muscles around the eye. Misaligned eyes may also be corrected by drugs that either strengthen or weaken extraocular muscles.

3-D Map of the Brain Will Help Eye Researchers

View can help researchers understand how the brain’s connectivity is disrupted in mental and neurological conditions such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, autism and in vision-related conditions.

Amblyopia Research Gets a Boost: RPB Matches a Special Donor’s Targeted Support

RPB is doubling its annual support of amblyopia research and honoring an esteemed donor, the late Diane Disney Miller. Amblyopia, commonly referred to as "lazy eye," is the major cause of monocular...

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Revolutionary Scanner Detects "Lazy Eye" in Children With High Degree of Accuracy

RPB researchers have developed and tested a simple, seconds-long screening exam with a handheld scanning device to enable pediatricians to identify amblyopia, the leading cause of vision loss in childhood, in...

Eye Divergence in Children Linked to Risk of Mental Illness

Children whose eyes are misaligned and point outward are at significantly increased risk of developing mental illness by early adulthood, according to findings of an RPB-supported, Mayo Clinic study published in...

Crossed Eyes

[Note: this is an older, but still potentially useful, article from the RPB archives.] Eugene R. Folk, MD, Professor The eyes should work together as a team. When one eye is deviated (turned too far in one...