{"id":27983,"date":"2026-10-27T19:05:03","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T17:05:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/athensvision.gr\/amblyopia\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T19:05:03","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T17:05:03","slug":"amblyopia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/athensvision.gr\/en\/amblyopia\/","title":{"rendered":"Amblyopia"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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SERVICES \/ AMBLYOPIA<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Amblyopia<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat amblyopia is, what causes it, how it is diagnosed, and what treatment options are available.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSee the doctors<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tContent<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAmblyopia<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat Is Amblyopia?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCauses of Amblyopia<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSymptoms of Amblyopia<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDiagnosis of Amblyopia<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAmblyopia Treatment<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrevention of Amblyopia<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFrequently Asked Questions \u2013 Amblyopia<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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What Is Amblyopia?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAmblyopia, often called \u201clazy eye,\u201d is the most common cause of reduced vision in one eye in childhood. In ophthalmology, the term describes a condition in which, for reasons explained below, the visual system has not developed normally. The problem usually involves the visual input from one eye, but it can also affect other aspects of binocular vision.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIf, during the first years of life, the brain does not receive clear images from one eye, it does not learn to decode, analyze and interpret them as useful visual information. Later on, it may be unable to take on this demanding task fully, even if the image from that eye becomes perfectly clear.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThis brain-based dysfunction affects approximately 2\u20135% of the population. The structures of the eye are often completely healthy. If amblyopia is not detected and treated early in childhood, it becomes much harder to treat and the visual deficit is often permanent.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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How Does Amblyopia Develop?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAmblyopia has three main causes:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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  • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStrabismic amblyopia<\/strong>
    This occurs when the eyes are not properly aligned. To avoid double vision (diplopia), the brain \u201csuppresses\u201d the image from the deviating eye.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDeprivation amblyopia<\/strong>
    Visual input is reduced or blurred because something obstructs normal vision, such as a congenital cataract or ptosis (drooping eyelid). It can affect one or both eyes.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRefractive amblyopia<\/strong>
    This occurs when there is a significant or unequal refractive error between the two eyes (anisometropia), or high refractive error in both eyes (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism). The brain \u201cprefers\u201d the eye that sees more clearly.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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    What Are the Symptoms of Amblyopia?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAmblyopia usually causes no obvious symptoms, which is why it is often discovered by chance.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHowever, signs that may prompt parents to seek an eye examination include:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSquinting or tilting the head when focusing<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
    • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDifficulty reaching for or following objects<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
    • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHolding objects very close to see or read<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
    • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tComplaining of poor vision in one eye<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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      How Is Amblyopia Diagnosed?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
      \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEarly diagnosis is crucial. The pediatric ophthalmologist performs a complete eye examination that includes:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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      • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMeasurement of visual acuity and refractive error<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
      • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAssessment of eye alignment and coordination<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
      • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAssessment of visual function and stereopsis (depth perception)<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAn eye examination is recommended for all children at around 3\u20134 years of age, even when there is no obvious problem.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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        Treatment Options for Amblyopia<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEffective treatment of amblyopia means early treatment: treatment that starts in the first years of life, immediately after diagnosis by a qualified ophthalmologist. The therapeutic approach is multifactorial and individualized, based on the cause of the amblyopia, the child\u2019s age and its severity. Today we have a wide range of options, from classic treatments backed by decades of clinical evidence to newer digital dichoptic (binocular) therapies.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        1. Restoring a Clear Visual Image<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe first and essential step is to restore a clear image to the brain. In refractive and strabismic amblyopia, this means prescribing individually tailored glasses or contact lenses as soon as possible. In deprivation amblyopia, the underlying cause must be treated surgically (removal of a congenital cataract, surgical correction of ptosis, etc.).\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn a significant number of cases, particularly mild to moderate refractive amblyopia, proper refractive correction alone can produce a significant improvement in visual acuity within a few months.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        2. Patching (Occlusion) of the Better Eye<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPatching the better-seeing eye with an adhesive patch is the traditional and best-documented treatment, with decades of clinical use and extensive supporting literature, chiefly the large multicenter trials of the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG). The goal of patching is to force the brain to use the visual information from the amblyopic eye, activating the corresponding neural pathways.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe daily duration of patching is individualized (usually 2\u20136 hours per day), and effectiveness is monitored with regular follow-up visits. A critical requirement is active use of the amblyopic eye during patching hours (drawing, playing, reading).\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAlternatively, in some cases, pharmacological \u201cpatching\u201d (penalization) is used, with atropine drops in the better eye, which temporarily blur near vision. PEDIG studies have shown this method to be as effective as patching in selected cases, and it is particularly useful when the child does not cooperate with patching.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        3. Modern Binocular Treatment: Digital Therapeutics<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe most important development in amblyopia treatment in recent years is the arrival of digital dichoptic therapies. This approach rests on a different understanding of amblyopia: recent research suggests that the main problem is not simply the \u201cinactivity\u201d of the amblyopic eye, but an active neural suppression exerted by the dominant eye over the amblyopic eye.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tInstead of covering the better eye, these systems present a different image to each eye at the same time, with reduced contrast or brightness for the dominant eye and full clarity for the amblyopic eye. This encourages the brain to use both eyes together and to overcome the suppression.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        Important limitation: who is not a suitable candidate?<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        All digital dichoptic systems, such as CureSight, Luminopia One, Vivid Vision and AmblyoPlay, rely on the principle of binocular fusion. They require the brain to combine two different images, one from each eye, into a single visual percept. For this reason, the method is indicated only for patients with amblyopia due to anisometropia or mild strabismus with a small angle of deviation, usually up to 8 prism diopters.<\/p>

        In patients with large-angle strabismus, the necessary binocular fusion is not achievable, because the two images do not fall on corresponding points of the two retinas. Consequently, digital dichoptic therapies are not effective in these patients. In such cases, treatment should follow the classic approach: first surgical correction of the strabismus, to reduce the angle of deviation to acceptable levels, followed by conventional patching or, after surgical correction, a trial of digital dichoptic therapy.<\/p>

        The regulatory clearances for CureSight and Luminopia One reflect this limitation, as they apply to amblyopia associated with anisometropia and\/or mild strabismus.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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        Current digital systems for amblyopia treatment<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCureSight (NovaSight)<\/strong>
        CureSight is cleared by the US FDA (2022) for children aged 4\u20139 with amblyopia associated with anisometropia and\/or mild strabismus. The child wears special red-blue anaglyph glasses and watches regular content of their choice, available through streaming services such as Netflix and YouTube, on a dedicated tablet screen. CureSight\u2019s main technological innovation is its built-in real-time eye tracking. The device continuously tracks the position of the eyes and selectively blurs only the central (macular) region of the better eye, leaving peripheral vision clear. The brain is thus forced to use the amblyopia-affected eye for central vision, while binocular cooperation is maintained and strengthened. In the pivotal multicenter trial, CureSight was shown to be non-inferior to conventional patching. The recommended use is about 90 minutes per day, 5 days per week.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLuminopia One<\/strong>
        Luminopia One was the first digital therapeutic for amblyopia to receive US FDA authorization (2021), for children aged 4\u20137. In everyday practice, it is also used off-label in older children. It uses a virtual reality (VR) headset through which the child watches content from a library of more than 75 series and 3,000 episodes of popular children\u2019s programs. The software reduces the contrast of the image seen by the dominant eye and \u201cblocks out\u201d complementary areas of the image in each eye, so that the brain has to combine the two images into a single visual percept. The recommended use is one hour per day, 6 days per week, for at least 12 weeks. Its efficacy was documented in a randomized, multicenter, phase 3 trial.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVivid Vision<\/strong>
        Vivid Vision is a well-established virtual-reality dichoptic therapy program that is CE-marked and FDA-registered. It runs on commercially available VR headsets and offers a library of binocular stimulation games designed for children aged 5 and older, as well as adults. Each eye sees different elements of the virtual scene, which the patient must combine in order to play, training visual acuity, stereopsis and binocular cooperation at the same time. It is available in two versions: one for professional use in the clinic (Vivid Vision Office) and one for home use (Vivid Vision Home), under the supervision of an ophthalmologist.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        AmblyoPlay<\/strong>
        AmblyoPlay is a digital dichoptic visual training program of European origin, widely available by subscription throughout Europe, including Greece. It combines red-blue anaglyph glasses with a tablet or computer application that includes gamified exercises of about 30 minutes per day. AmblyoPlay is not currently certified as a medical device (CE) for the treatment of amblyopia, but is marketed as a visual-training wellness tool. A recently published pilot study showed promising results in children with anisometropic amblyopia, and its wide availability in Europe and lower cost make it a practical, affordable adjunct to conventional treatment.<\/p>

        Binocular games<\/strong>
        Alongside these commercial systems, a number of specially designed binocular video games, such as Dig Rush, Falling Blocks and Tetris-based games, have been studied in PEDIG clinical trials and by European research groups. They work on the same principle of dichoptic stimulation: each eye sees different elements of the game, which must be combined in order to play. Some of them are freely available as research tools or through specialized platforms.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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        Availability in the European Union and Greece<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tImportant clinical note:<\/strong> CureSight and Luminopia One are both FDA-authorized. CureSight also carries CE marking as a medical device in the European Union, but its commercial availability varies by country and should be confirmed for Greece. To our knowledge, Luminopia One has not yet received CE marking and is therefore not marketed through official channels in our country. Among the CE-marked solutions, Vivid Vision is the main clinically established option for the European public, while AmblyoPlay is one of the most widely used digital visual-training platforms in Europe but does not have medical-device status for amblyopia. At Athens Vision we closely follow developments in the European regulatory framework for medical devices (MDR), and we will incorporate new systems into our treatment repertoire as soon as they obtain the relevant marking.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        Advantages of the binocular approach<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        Digital binocular systems offer three important advantages over traditional patching:<\/p>