Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is a disorder of the visual system that is characterized by poor or indistinct vision in an eye that is otherwise physically normal, or out of proportion to associated structural abnormalities. It has been estimated to affect 1–5% of the population.
The problem is caused by either no transmission or poor transmission of the visual image to thebrain for a sustained period of dysfunction or during early childhood. Amblyopia normally only affects one eye, but it is possible to be amblyopic in both eyes if both are similarly deprived of a good, clear visual image. Detecting the condition in early childhood increases the chance of successful treatment.
While the colloquialism “lazy eye” is frequently used to refer to amblyopia, the term is inaccurate because there is no “laziness” of either the eye or the amblyope involved in the condition. Therefore, some consider the term “lazy eye” to be pejorative.
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