Depth perception, the ability to see our 3D world, relies on the eyes’ ability to work as a perfect team. In people with an eye imbalance or amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, one team member (one eye) is stronger than the other and depth perception becomes compromised.
Push Pull Training Method
A study published in Current Biology presents a new way to correct sensory eye dominance. Researchers call it a “push-pull training method” that proved to improve depth perception in study participants.
When caught early, amblyopia (lazy eye) in children can be corrected through covering the stronger eye so that the weaker eye is forced to do the work of seeing. This new method is focused on adults who do not respond as well to such strategies. The researchers’ new approach involves making the two eyes compete to see an image but giving the weaker eye an advantage so that it learns how to win, so to speak.
Source: medicalnewstoday
Acupuncture Treatment for Lazy Eye
Chinese medicine is a key aspect of our treatment plan at Natural Eye Care, and acupuncture is one of the best tools we have in our medicine chest.
A new study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology finds that acupuncture can help treat lazy eye or amblyopia.
It is vital that amblyopia is diagnosed and treated early – up to age 7 is ideal. Between ages 7 and 12 the chances of remedying lazy eye with the traditional method – patching the “good” eye so the affected eye learns to work harder – is reduced to a 30% effective rate.
The Chinese researchers who published this study found that acupuncture alone was more effective than eye patching. In 41.5% of the children who received acupuncture the lazy eye was considered “resolved” compared to only 16.7% of kids whose eyes were patched.
Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com
Neurological Cause
Researchers at New York University have found a neurological cause for amblyopia.
Amblyopia is actually the result of developmental problems in the brain and its neurons, rather than the eye itself. Also, they have found that the issue is not only related to problems in the visual cortex (the part of the brain that processes images), but from other parts of the brain as well.