Mar 20, 2008

Patches are crucial in fixing 'lazy eye'

Dr. Andrew Soss / Daily News columnist

Dr. Soss: I was told that I had to do eye patching on my 4-year-old daughter who was diagnosed with "lazy eye." When I was a child, I had to have the same thing done to me. I really don't want to have the same thing happen to my child. Isn't this patching a thing of the past? There must be some other way to solve the problem in a better way.

- M.W.



M.W.: First of all, I want to start by eliminating the layperson name of "lazy eye." This terminology is completely outdated and inaccurate. The name "lazy eye" implies that the problem is that the eye is "lazy." In fact, the eye itself can be, and most of the time is, functioning as a healthy eye should. The problem is that the eye is not properly receiving information and therefore unable to transfer information properly to the brain. As a result the brain is unable to interpret the information correctly and therefore unable to develop fully.

In order to allow the brain center associated with vision to develop fully, we must allow it to have a proper stimulus. The first step is to allow the eye to once again give appropriate signals to the brain by correcting the offending issue associated with the eye. This can be done with eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery. Once the proper management tool is used, then patching is important in allowing the brain center associated with vision to catch up with the other eye. When this is achieved, then it is critical to work on getting the two eyes to work together, which stimulates the development of the binocular portion of our brains. Only at this time, can the visual system start to achieve full function.

The patching is still a critical part of this therapy. However, relatively recent studies have shown that children who are patched for their therapy period (which can be several months or more) five days a week at school and children who are patched just two to four hours on weekends (with specific visual work tasks) have virtually the same outcomes. So, your child should not have to be subjected to the same stigma you were.



All answers and opinions are those of Dr. Soss and not necessarily shared, endorsed or affiliated with this or any of the newspaper agencies.

Dr. Andrew C. Soss has been practicing for more than 20 years. During that time he has been a clinical instructor in the Deptartment of Ocular Pathology at the University of California. He is also a primary eye care provider in private practice in Burlingame.