Causes of Lazy Eye
Two main conditions can result in what we call a lazy eye:
Amblyopia: This describes when the brain to eye connection is faced with a developmental problem. Essentially, with amblyopia, one’s brain has learned to ignore signals and information from one of the eyes. This problem isn’t one physically presented in the eye, but it can be caused by – and the cause of – such problems.
Strabismus: Commonly known as crossed eyes, strabismus occurs when eyes are misaligned due to surrounding muscles not communicating properly. Strabismus can cause amblyopia, and vice versa.
Strabismus is the most common cause of the underdeveloped or weak brain-eye connection characterized by amblyopia. When muscles of the eye cannot properly pair our eyes, each eye sends a different image to the brain – this is particularly a problem during development. The brain resolves this confusion by simply ignoring one of those disparate images, resulting in one eye becoming unused and that corresponding area of the brain less developed.
Refractive error (astigmatism or near/farsightedness) that is more pronounced in one eye can also cause amblyopia. Refractive error, like strabismus, leads to eye input being mismatched as it communicates with the brain, causing the brain to accept only one of the eyes’ images. Unfortunately, any other issue that causes this type of imbalance, including cloudy lenses, childhood cataracts, and physical abnormalities, can cause amblyopia.