Poor eye development

Vision problems in children require special attention, because, if left undiagnosed and untreated, they can often cause future learning difficulties
Any problems that affect the visual ability of children can cause learning difficulties. In other words, a learning disability can be a symptom of a vision problem. If children do encounter difficulties at school, one of the first steps to take is to perform a thorough examination to check the child’s visual development.

Amblyopia or "lazy eye"
One of the most common causes of childhood vision problems is amblyopia ("lazy eye"), which affects approximately 2.5% of the world population. In Spain, there are about one million cases, according to recent research. Amblyopia appears in childhood and, if not promptly treated, can continue into adulthood. The visual system of a new-born baby is not completely formed, but it is in full development.
Visual ability is gradually acquired during the first years of life. As reported by the Instituto de Microcirugía Ocular (IMO), "lazy eye" only manifests itself in childhood and its most common causes are strabismus (when one eye deviates and the brain ignores vision from that eye) and refractive errors (hyperopia, astigmatism and myopia). The problem is caused when the pathways that carry visual messages from one eye to the brain do not develop properly. The brain favours the other eye, and the child’s vision does not develop normally. In the severest cases, this can lead to blindness in the affected eye. In fact, "lazy eye" usually develops in eyes with high refractive errors that have not been detected before the age of two.

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