What are important causes of amblyopia?

Amblyopia, often referred to as "lazy eye," typically develops when there is a lack of proper visual stimulation during the critical periods of visual development in childhood. The primary causes that lead to amblyopia include anisometropia, strabismus, and visual deprivation.

Anisometropia occurs when there is a significant difference in the refractive power between the two eyes, leading to one eye focusing differently than the other. This disparity can cause the brain to favor the eye with clearer vision, resulting in amblyopia in the other eye.

Strabismus refers to misalignment of the eyes, wherein one eye may turn in, out, up, or down. This misalignment affects binocular vision and can result in the brain suppressing the image from the misaligned eye to avoid double vision, leading to amblyopia.

Visual deprivation can occur if one eye is obscured from vision due to conditions such as congenital cataracts. Without adequate visual input from both eyes, the brain may fail to develop normal visual pathways, leading to amblyopia.

Understanding these causes is critical for early diagnosis and intervention, as timely treatment can significantly improve vision in amblyopia. In contrast, the other options listed, such as eye infections,