Difference Between Strabismus and Amblyopia

Strabismus vs Amblyopia

Vision is the most critical of your five senses. Strabismus and Amblyopia are both medical conditions that affect your eyesight. Often diagnosed in early childhood, both medical conditions require immediate correcting. In order to identify Strabismus or Ampblyopia, it is important to differentiate between the two conditions.

In order for your eyes to function correctly, it is important that your vision is perfectly aligned. If your eyes are not able to aim their direction at a targeted spot, then your eyes have developed a condition called Strabismus. The affected eye begins to turn in a direction that is not in coalition with the way the other eye is working. Your eye may decide to turn inwards, towards the centre of your face; the scientific word for this kind of turn is esotropia. Alternatively, your eye may decide to turn outwards, towards the outside edge of your face. The medical term for this term is exotropia. Strabismus can affect your vision intermittently or the eye turn may be a constant force in your vision. Lack of alignment in your sight will cause you to experience double vision.

If your vision is distorted by Strabismus it can make the affected eye exceedingly lazy in its actions. The medical term for having a lazy eye is Amblyopia. In order for your optical display to work at its maximum, each eye must perfectly align with the image you are looking at. If your eye has a slight turn, this will knock off the essential alignment needed for 20/20 vision. Your good eye will try and compensate for the eye that is affected with Strabismus; because of the confusing messages sent to your brain, your vision will decrease. This decrease in visions is known as Amblyopia.

Both eye conditions tend to manifest themselves early in childhood. Vital first treatment for both conditions is required during this early stage; catching the vision problem early will help the optician to treat the problem before it causes serious damage to the sight. Unfortunatley, children who have either Strabismus or Amblyopia, will seldom develop a normal line of vision. Treatment for both conditions is the same. Perscription glasses will enable each eye to correct its line of vision. Sometimes, in the case of lazy eye, a patch will be worn on the good eye; this will hopefully make the ‘lazy’ eye work harder in correcting its focus.

Summary

1. Strabismus and Amblyopia are both medical conditions that affect the eye.
2. Strabismus is a condition that makes the eye unsure of its visual alignment.
3. If the eye is affected with Strabismus, it will cause the sufferer to encounter double vision.
4. A common term for Amblyopia is Lazy Eye.
5. Amblyopia is often associated as a degenerative eye condition caused by the eye having Strabismus.
6. Amblyopia and Strabismus both manifest themselves in early childhood.
7. Treatment for both conditions is the same. Prescription glasses and eye patches are the preferred method of treatment.
8. Unfortunately both conditions can cause permanent damage to a child’s sight.

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