Amblyopia is a medical condition in which a person’s vision in at least one of the eyes is reduced because the eye and the brain are not working together properly, according to the National Eye Institute. “The eye itself looks normal, but it is not being used normally because the brain is favoring the other eye.” According to Contemporary Pediatrics, amblyopia is caused by an abnormal development of the visual areas of the brain and likely occurs in about 10 lakhs, or 1 million, children under the age of six in India per year (presuming the same incident as in the United States where it occurs in about 3% of children). Children and adults that have amblyopia lack clear visual inputs to one or, sometimes, both eyes. The US Preventative Services Task Force believes that amblyopia is a children’s disease that is more difficult to treat the older the child, and that the effects of the disease are irreversible if not treated before the age of six.
Paediatric Screening should be initiated at the level of Paediatric Clinics, Schools etc to tackle this problem.
By adopting the use of portable vision screeners throughout India, the vision of approximately 10 lakhs (1m) children can be treated and saved before the onset of permanent damage from amblyopia
Amblyopia: Affecting 10 lakhs (1m) Children Every Year
Amblyopia is a medical condition in which a person’s vision in at least one of the eyes is reduced because the eye and the brain are not working together properly, according to the National Eye Institute. “The eye itself looks normal, but it is not being used normally because the brain is favoring the other eye.” According to Contemporary Pediatrics, amblyopia is caused by an abnormal development of the visual areas of the brain and likely occurs in about 10 lakhs, or 1 million, children under the age of six in India per year (presuming the same incident as in the United States where it occurs in about 3% of children). Children and adults that have amblyopia lack clear visual inputs to one or, sometimes, both eyes. The US Preventative Services Task Force believes that amblyopia is a children’s disease that is more difficult to treat the older the child, and that the effects of the disease are irreversible if not treated before the age of six.
Important Eye Testing is Widely Performed Even in the USA
Unfortunately, amblyopia is not a routine test performed by most pediatric physicians today. Less than 40% of three year olds in the US have been tested, and only 80% of five year olds have been screened at least once. It reasonable to assume that these numbers are at least an order of magnitude above the screening rates in India. Even among those children who were tested and subsequently failed their vision screens, only about 20% followed up with vision specialists. To address this unfortunate, but entirely treatable condition, vision screens must become a routine test for children from a young age when it’s possible to fully reverse the effects of amblyopia.