lazy eye

My daughter originally went in to see eye doctor around the age of 8.  We were told she had a lazy eye and they gave her glasses to try to strengthen the lazy eye.  She had horrible headaches when she wore the glasses and they didnt help at all.  We went back over the years and they kept saying the same thing.  We went recently to the eye doctor (she is now 13 1/2)  He said that nothing will help that eye and that glasses won't help her see any better at all.  She doesn't need glasses.  I think one eye is 20/80 and one is 20/25.  She basically just sees out of the one eye.  I told him I thought glasses were supposed to correct your vision with the glasses to 20/20.  I know that they did her glasses differently because they just improved it a little instead of all the way to try to strengthen her eye.  He told me I had been watching too many tv shows and movies because that wasn't true at all.  I am so confused.  I have a friend whose vision is much worse than my daughters and she has glasses and can see.  What is the deal?  

[helpmeplease6]

I was also told years ago that they didn't do the patch thing anymore that it was better to just alter her glasses just a little and that would strengthen her eye.  Like I said before all it did was give her horrible, painful headaches because she still couldn't see.  I see on this forum that many people are still being told about patches.  I am so sad because at this point I think my daughter repeatedly received medical advice that permanently affected her eyesight.

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

You have many false beliefs about the eye and vision. Use the search feature and archives and read about amblyopia and strabismus. Then go to WebMD and do the same thing.

Your child was "too old" when first examined.  Children should be examined by an ophthalmologist, optometrists or screened by a pediatrician about age 3. Amblyopia is very difficult to treat after age 6.

Moreover other children you have and anyone in your bloodline that has children have about a 20% chance to have the same amblyopia problem.

See a pediatric ophthalmologist to see if anything can be done. Find one near you at www.aao.org

JCH MD

[helpmeplease6]

Yes many years and headaches later I understand that it is too late, but you didn't answer my other questions.  Can she get glasses that will allow her to see in that eye with glasses or contacts?

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

By definition amblyopia is an eye that does not see normal with glasses or contacts.  So if she has amblopia glasses or contacts or lasis surgery may make her amblyopic eye see better but not normal.

Mind you some people with mild amblyopia can see 20/25 with glasses/contacts while others with severe amblyopia may see 20/400 best corrected.

JCH MD