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DRPatching helps the weak eye to see clearer—but why did it become blurry in the first place? 🤨
Amblyopia occurs when both eyes don’t know how to work TOGETHER, leading to suppression and binocular rivalry. Studies show that suppression occurs BEFORE reduced visual acuity, because the eyes don’t develop strong binocular signals in the visual cortex.
Patching one eye doesn’t teach the eyes to work binocularly! That’s why many kids struggle with depth perception and regression after patching stops. 😬
(Patching also causes long-term psychological challenges, bullying, and sometimes hurts the relationship with their parents—YIKES! ❌)
✅ Here’s what to do instead:
🔹 Prescribe functionally – Reduce anisometropia by using a special lens prescribing method to actively support binocular vision, not just clarity.
🔹 Train binocular function – Recommending home activities and/or a vision therapy program that promotes both eyes working together are key!
🔹 Think beyond 20/20 – Amblyopia is more than acuity; it’s a binocular vision issue at its core! Monitor visual progress with stereopsis and MEM retinoscopy.
👩🏻⚕️ Want to learn how to prescribe and treat amblyopia functionally? That’s exactly what I teach in The Pediatric Eye Care Masterclass! 📖✨
👉🏽 Visit the link in bio to start learning today!
Drop a 🏆 in the comments if you want to start treating amblyopia, not just patching it! ⬇️
#Amblyopia #Strabismus #PediatricOptometry #VisionTherapy #BehavioralOptometry #BinocularVision #ChildrensVision
@dr.amritbilkhu
