Treatment of Amblyopia (lazy eye)

In cases where the vision in one eye remains reduced (lazy) further treatment may be necessary to stimulate the development of vision. If glasses are required they should be worn during all waking hours, even when undergoing further amblyopia treatment.

Amblyopia can be treated using either patches or atropine drops.

Who will we see at the hospital?

At the hospital you may see several specialists;

Orthoptist will check the vision in each eye and assess if there is a squint if present.
Optician (Optometrist) will test the eyes to see if glasses are needed.
Ophthalmologist will look into the eyes to check they are healthy and perform any squint surgery if needed.

How do I use the patch?

A patch (either fabric or sticky) is worn over the better-seeing eye for an agreed number of hours per day (usually between 3 to 6 hours daily) to stimulate the brain to use the lazy eye and encourage the vision to improve.

How do I use atropine?

Atropine drops work by blurring the vision of the better-seeing eye, encouraging the lazy eye to develop better vision. Atropine is put into the better-seeing eye twice weekly usually Sundays and Wednesdays. You will notice that the pupil of the treated eye becomes much larger, this will reverse once treatment is stopped.

How do I know if the treatment is working?

The only way to know if the treatment is working is by having the level of vision measured in the clinic, usually every three months by the orthoptist.

Are there any problems with atropine or patches?

Over-treatment with either method can harm vision in the better-seeing eye. This is rare and usually reversible.

Atropine

Usually there are no problems. Your child may be aware of increased brightness of light entering the eye. If this is a problem it is fine to shade the eyes with sunglasses or a sun hat. An allergic reaction to atropine is possible but rare.

Before using atropine you will be asked questions regarding your child’s health and given separate written information on how to use the drops, covering signs of allergic reaction and what to do if you suspect this.

Patching

Again, usually there are no problems. However, it can be difficult to supervise the use of patches because they can be removed when you are not looking!

All skin patches are made to avoid any skin allergies.

Will treatment affect my child’s every day activities?

This depends on how poor the vision is in the lazy eye and will be discussed with you before treatment begins. In cases where the sight is particularly poor in the lazy eye, wearing the patch will mean your child’s sight is significantly reduced. Extra care should be taken until the sight improves to a level where they can cope better and navigate easier.

Will there be any other treatment?

When vision has improved, your child may need to be checked routinely until the vision is stable.

If a squint is present an operation to straighten the eyes may be performed. The aim of surgery is to improve the appearance of the squint. In general, surgery will not improve your child’s vision.

For further information

Contact details

Appointments Office

To change or cancel an appointment: 0191 282 4444.

Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (excluding Bank Holidays)

Orthoptic Department

To speak to an Orthoptist or Nursery Nurse about treatment: 0191 282 4434

Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (excluding Bank Holidays)

PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)

For help, advice and information about NHS services. You can contact them on free-phone 0800 032 02 02, e-mail northoftynepals@nhct.nhs.uk or text to 07815500015.

If you would like to find accessibility information for our hospitals, please visit https://www.accessable.co.uk

Useful websites

If you would like further information about health conditions and treatment options, you may wish to have a look at the NHS Choices website at www.nhs.uk