Deteriorating Sight in one eye

[michael_e]

Hi,

I have congenital nystagmus. I always had vision in one eye a bit worse than in another. My right eye was always a bit worse than my left eye but by very little (by 0.25 diopters at age of 10). I never gave it a second thought until recently, I closed my left eye for the eye test and I could not see well at all. It turned out to correct the myopia in my left eye, a -4.50 lens was needed, but my right eye was near perfect.

I would like to ask why this would happen? Normally I know of peoples sight deteriorating in both eyes but in only one eye?

Also, the optician prescribed a -5.50 contact lens to me despite my eye being -4.5. Why would she do that?

Thank you very much for any insight you can offer,

Michael

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Amblyopia only develops in visually immature individuals (less than age 5-6).

JCH III MD

[michael_e]

Thank you very much for your response. I didn't know what it was called but now I can do some research. Knowing about stuff makes me feel a bit better haha.

I read that anesometrophia leads to amblyopia if uncorrected. I am 19 now - do you think I may develop amblyopia? Will the sight in the bad eye keep deteriorating?

Thank you very much for your advice.

Michael

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

It is not unusual for one eye to become farsighted, near sighted or astimatic while the other eye remains near normal. It is called "anesometrophia".

Be sure you are under the care of an Eye MD ophthalmologist. You might be a good candidate for LASIK in the one eye.

JCH III MD

[michael_e]

Sorry, just to clarify, my good eye is my left eye. The bad eye is the right eye. From the start it was slight less than the left eye, and now my left eye is near perfect and my right eye is at -4.5. Sorry for messing it up slightly.