Can Laser Eye Surgery Fix A Lazy Eye?

As one of the most common optical conditions, a lazy eye affects around 2 to 3% of children as they develop in their early years. One question we’re frequently asked here at Optegra is whether laser eye surgery can correct the lazy eye and restore vision to normal.

To answer this question properly, it’s necessary to understand exactly what we mean by a lazy eye and to distinguish it from other optical conditions. Read on as our experts delve into the topic of lazy eye in adults, and whether it is possible to have laser eye surgery for lazy eye.

What is a Lazy Eye?

A lazy eye (the medical term is amblyopia) is caused when the eye and brain are not working properly together. In that sense, the terminology is a little misleading, as the condition has as much to do with neurological issues as the eye itself.

A lazy eye usually stems from one of two main issues. The first is a simple physical misalignment where the eyes don’t point in the same direction, known as strabismus. The second is a significant difference in prescription between your two eyes, called anisometropia. When one eye sees much more clearly than the other, your brain begins to play favourites.

Expert Insight: Bridging the Gap Between Eye and Brain

To avoid the confusion of a blurry or double image, the brain simply stops paying attention to the weaker eye. Over time, the connection between that eye and the brain weakens because it isn’t being used. This is why a lazy eye is a processing problem rather than just a physical one. While laser eye surgery for a lazy eye can correct the eye’s focus, it cannot reconnect that eye to the brain’s visual centre. 

Understanding whether your lazy eye is caused by a muscle pull or a prescription imbalance is the first step in seeing if laser eye surgery can fix lazy eye symptoms for you.

The Symptoms of a Lazy Eye

It’s important to note that a lazy eye does not always present itself due to the symptoms it causes, as it can first be diagnosed during an eye test. However, there are several tell-tale signs of a potentially lazy eye, including:

• Squinting or tilting the head to try to see better
• Poor or blurred vision in one eye
• Poor depth perception
• Eye misalignment
• Falling or bumping into objects

The symptoms of a lazy eye in children may slightly differ, as parents might spot these symptoms when their child is having trouble focusing or using both eyes together. This usually occurs between the ages of 2 and 5 when vision is rapidly developing. Misaligned eyes (strabismus) or squinting can also be signs to look out for.

Can Laser Eye Surgery Really Correct a Lazy Eye?

No. Laser eye surgery cannot correct a lazy eye, as the surgery treats the eye’s shape, not the brain’s neural connection to the eye.  No amount of treatment to the eye will affect the way your neural pathways use your eyes.

Laser eye surgery, however, could be used to improve the vision in the lazy eye equal to,  but no better than spectacle correction. For example, if the lazy eye meets driving standards in glasses, a patient will meet driving standards after surgery but with the added benefit of spectacle independenceMost patients with lazy eye are unsuitable for laser eye surgery; those whose vision is better than driving standards when corrected may be eligible, but this is prescription-dependent.

Laser eye surgery is an incredibly safe and life-changing procedure that can help correct several conditions, including Myopia, astigmatism and hyperopia.

Advanced Alternatives Beyond Laser Eye Surgery

The clinical landscape for addressing the refractive causes of a lazy eye has expanded significantly. While laser eye surgery remains a flagship treatment, it’s not the most appropriate path for all patients with extreme prescriptions or those whose corneal thickness is not optimal for LASIK or ReLEx SMILE. These patients could however consider an Implantable Contact Lens (ICL).

Implantable Contact Lenses (ICL)

For patients with an exceptionally high prescription in their lazy eye – often exceeding the safe limits for laser tissue removal – Optegra specialists often recommend an Implantable Contact Lens (ICL). This is a sophisticated, biocompatible lens positioned behind the iris. This will correct a patient’s vision to the level they can see in their current glasses offering freedom from high prescriptions, reliance on contact lenses and heavy spectacle frames.

Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)

For our patients over the age of 40 who may also be noticing the onset of presbyopia (age-related reading vision loss), Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) is frequently the superior clinical choice. 

At Optegra, this procedure involves replacing the eye’s natural lens with an advanced multifocal or trifocal implant. This will correct a patient’s vision to the level they can see in their current glasses, offering freedom from high prescriptions and reliance on contact lenses and heavy spectacles,  removing the need for reading glasses and providing a permanent solution for a cataract if you have been diagnosed with this. 

Get the Right Advice

You may have heard or even seen for yourself online that you can treat a lazy eye with laser eye surgery, but you need to be in full possession of the facts before getting your hopes up.

Lazy eye cannot be corrected after the age of 5-7, so treatment will make little to no difference to the vision  in that eye. However,  you can boost the eyesight in your good eye and reduce the need for heavy spectacles that can come with having a lazy eye or the dependence on contact lenses. To find out more and discover your options, book a free virtual consultation and chat with one of our expert ophthalmic surgeons.