Definition: Amblyopia, commonly known as lazy eye, is a vision development disorder where one eye does not develop normal vision during childhood. This can result in reduced vision in the affected eye, even when using corrective lenses.

Causes: Amblyopia often occurs due to a misalignment of the eyes (strabismus), a significant difference in refractive error between the two eyes (anisometropia), or deprivation of vision (such as a cataract) during the critical period of visual development in childhood.

Treatment: Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for managing amblyopia. Treatment options include wearing an eye patch over the stronger eye to encourage the weaker eye to work harder (patching therapy), using atropine eye drops to blur the vision in the stronger eye, or wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses to correct refractive errors. Vision therapy exercises may also be recommended to improve visual acuity and eye coordination.