iPad Game Effective in Treating Common Eye Condition in Children

JAMA: Amblyopia is the leading cause of monocular visual impairment in children, affecting 3 percent in the United States. Amblyopia has traditionally been viewed as a monocular disorder that can be treated by patching the fellow (opposite) eye to force use of the amblyopic eye, but it does not always restore 20/20 vision or teach the eyes to work together. Because amblyopia arises from binocular discordance, binocular treatments are likely to yield better vision outcomes. However, it is unclear whether binocular treatment is comparable to patching in treating amblyopia.

Amblyopia in children

Normally, the brain processes the information coming in from both eyes equally. This is needed for the best possible vision.
In some children, however, one eye is favored by the brain because it provides a better image. If this happens, the other eye is neglected from childhood on, and it does not get the chance to fully develop. This is known as amblyopia or "lazy eye." Amblyopia, the medical term for lazy eye, is taken from ancient Greek and means "dull vision."