Glasgow orthoptists design pack to combat amblyopia

August 2, 2010

A team from the orthoptic department at Garnavel Genera Hospital, in Glasgow, Scotland, have developed a new pack to help children combat amblyopia, a condition more commonly known as lazy eye, according to the Evening Times.

Amblyopia is a condition that typically occurs in early childhood, and prevents a young person from developing proper vision. It is typically used with an eye patch which is placed over the properly functioning eye to train the lazy eye to adjust.

If ambylopia isn't treated at an early age, it could mean permanent loss of sight in the affected eye or a squint. However, the eye health experts in Glasgow have designed a pack that parents and other adults can use to combat the condition.

The pack includes a website designed to help adults understand the issue, a patch for the child, and a chart for parents to track their child's progress, among other items.

"We've found it to be a really good tool, with lots of things for children to do," special orthoptist Dawn Buchan, one of the pack's developers, told the news source.

According to PreventBlindness.org, some doctors may prescribe eyeglasses to improve misalignment of the eyes, which can be a cause of amblyopia.