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Amblyopia, commonly known as lazy
eye, is reduced vision in one and sometimes both eyes that, if left
untreated, can lead to a permanent loss of vision in the eye(s) and
lead to a loss of depth perception. Amblyopia affects about 3% of
children and is the leading cause of vision loss in children. If
detected and treated early, a child can usually be cured of the
amblyopia. Unfortunately, many children have amblyopia and because
the child looks perfectly normal, the parents are not aware of the
condition, sometimes until it is too late for treatment.
The main causes of amblyopia are:
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Misaligned eyes (strabismus)
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Different focusing ability of
the two eyes (anisometropia)
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Cataract in one or both eyes
The Ohio Amblyope Registry is a
statewide program designed to serve the needs of Ohio’s children
with amblyopia (commonly known as lazy eye), their families and eye
doctors. It is a voluntary registration program to increase
knowledge about amblyopia, its treatment and prevention. All
services provided by the registry are free of charge.
There are three main parts to the
Ohio Amblyope Registry:
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Information
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Case Management
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Financial Assistance
When a parent registers their
amblyopic child with the Ohio Amblyope Registry, the parents will
receive a number of free brochures including:
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Amblyopia (lazy eye)
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Strabismus (misaligned eyes)
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Common Eye Problems
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Don’t Play Games with Your Eyes
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Your Child’s Sight
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Signs of Possible Eye Trouble
in Children.
In addition to the brochures, if
your child is between 3 and 8 years of age and currently undergoing
occlusion (patching) therapy, he or she can sign-up for the Eye
Patch Club, through Prevent Blindness America. The Eye Patch Club is
designed for amblyopic children currently undergoing occlusion
therapy. This club provides information about occlusion therapy for
amblyopia, strategies for improving occlusion compliance,
information for teachers to discuss with the class about amblyopia
and its treatment, and a voluntary sign-up form for the child to
join a "pen-pal club" for amblyopic children. Included in the Eye
Patch Club is a newsletter that contains advice from optometrists,
ophthalmologists and orthoptists about amblyopia and its treatment.
If you and your eye doctor believe
that your child would benefit by case management, you will receive
periodic friendly phone calls and postcards to remind you to see
your child’s eye doctor as recommended. If you move to another area
in Ohio, the Ohio Amblyope Registry will help you locate an eye
doctor who sees children with amblyopia.
If you do not have insurance to
cover the eye doctor appointments and treatment for your child with
amblyopia, please talk with your eye doctor about financial
assistance. You can also contact your local Ohio Health Department
or local Human Services to complete a Combined Program Application
(CPA). CPA will help determine your eligibility for certain
services.
The Ohio Amblyope Registry is
funded through the Save Our Sight program for children, which
obtains voluntary contributions through a dollar check-off box on
Ohio license plate renewal forms. The Ohio Department of Health
administers the Save Our Sight fund for children.
In order to register, an eye doctor
must have diagnosed your child with amblyopia. Obtain a registration
form from your eye doctor’s office, or call the toll free number
(1-877-808-2422) or local number (722-6134, within 614 area code) or
fill-out a registration form at
OhioAmblyopeRegistry.com.
