Definition
Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, is a condition that prevents a person from from seeing clearly out of one or both eyes. This is caused by a disconnection between the eye and the brain; therefore, leading to the brain favoring one eye over another. More specifically, if one eye cannot clearly focus on an object, then the brain will compensate by relying on the stronger eye.
Amblyopia is the leading cause of vision loss amongst children. Generally, due to the stimulation of one eye over the other, the weaker eye suffers from either nearsightedness, farsightedness, or an astigmatism. Often times, Amblyopia is due to the large difference between the degree of nearsightedness in one eye and farsightedness in the other. This misalignment in the eyes is better known as strabismus.
Atropine is a drug that is put into the stronger eye to blur the vision. This causes the weaker eye to focus more on nearer objects. Another possible treatment involves an adhesive patch which is worn over the stronger eye for an extended period of time, more specifically, at least for a few weeks. This method forces the child to use and strengthen the eye with amblyopia. Both treatments have proven to be quite effective, but the atropine drops are often easier to distribute.
Instructional Strategies
Some accommodations a teacher can employ with children who have a visual impairment include the following. Instead of learning from pictures and images, the child may benefit from reading materials in braille or large print. In terms of classroom setup, the child may need to be seated near the front end of the classroom near the teacher primarily because he or she may require extra time on a test. Other accommodations provided by educators include clear directions, oral description, and verbalization of writing.
A teacher must always take the environment into account as well. Along with preferential seating, some children with visual impairments may benefit from moving around the room or from additional space to do their work. Often times, instructors do not notice the lighting as a potentially harmful component to the living environment; therefore, teachers must always check to see if their students who have a visual impairment are light sensitive or if they require more light.
Useful Websites
Medical Treatment
Occlusion Therapy is a method of treatment where the child wears an eye patch on the stronger eye, forcing the amblyopic eye to work harder: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2001054/
Occlusion Therapy is currently still the most-used treatment for Amblyopia; although, through the update in technology, improvement in the vision can be obtained through the Occlusion Dose Monitor (ODM): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28890077
Ever since the idea of brain plasticity was recognized, new treatments such as the dichoptic and the pharmacological have been experimented with. The dichoptic treatment has thus far been successful in adults once thought to be past the period of plasticity. For the pharmacological treatment, drugs such as fluoxetine and levodopa have been experimented with; however, many of these drugs are still in the experimental phase due to the need of further evaluation with the side effects: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5602149/
References
Accommodations and Modifications at a Glance: Educational Accommodations for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.familyconnect.org/info/education/know-your-rights/accommodations-and-modifications-at-a-glance/135#instruction
American Optometric Association (2018). Amblyopia (Lazy Eye). Retrieved from https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/amblyopia
Astle, A. T., Webb, B. S., & McGraw, P. V. (2011). Can perceptual learning be used to treat amblyopia beyond the critical period of visual development?. Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists), 31(6), 564-73.
Facts About Amblyopia. (2013, September 01). Retrieved from https://nei.nih.gov/health/amblyopia/amblyopia_guide
Stewart, C. E., Moseley, M. J., Georgiou, P., & Fielder, A. R. (2017). Occlusion dose monitoring in amblyopia therapy: Status, insights, and future directions. Journal of American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, 21(5), 402-406. doi:10.1016/j.jaapos.2017.06.018
Yen, M. (2017). Therapy for Amblyopia: A newer perspective. Taiwan Journal of Ophthalmology, 7(2), 59. doi:10.4103/tjo.tjo_56_17