Diagnosing Amblyopia

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam. You may also be referred to an ophthalmologist, a doctor who specializes in the medical and surgical treatment of eye disorders and vision measurement. Since amblyopia tends to occur in young children, the types of tests an ophthalmologist will perform will be determined by the patient’s age and their ability to respond to the ophthalmologist. Tests may include the following:

• Visual acuity assessment testing (VAT)-such as the Lea Symbols test that is used to assess distant vision.
• Cycloplegic refraction test-which is performed to determine how the eyeball displays and receives images produced by the lens of the eye. To perform the test, eye drops are used to dilate (widen the pupil) for a better view of the eye. To determine the direction of light the eye receives and displays, the dilating drops briefly paralyze (impair movement or make inactive) the eye muscles that control focusing.
• Retinoscopy which allows an eye specialist to determine a preverbal child’s eyeglass prescription
• Prisms to determine the amount of crossing between the two eyes if present