Digital therapy for children with 'lazy eye'

A new digital therapy platform has been released to help patients with amblyopia, otherwise known as "lazy eye".

The subscription-based technology is available from the startup, AmblyoPlay. Progress can be monitored through a progression tracker and shared with eye care providers. Amblyopia is the most common visual impairment in children, with up to 3% of American children being affected. Amblyopia occurs when the vision in one of the eyes is reduced because the brain is not communicating properly with the eye. Without proper treatment, the condition continues into adulthood and can result in difficulties with depth perception,  reading and learning. Amblyopia therapy is most effective before age 7, and the technology is designed to be engaging and rewarding. The current traditional method of treating amblyopia is called patching, which involves the patient wearing a patch or cover over their dominant eye for weeks, months or years. The alternative method involves the patient taking atropine eyedrops that blurs vision in the dominant eye. Amblyopia is not meant to replace the care of an eye doctor but instead is a software that may prove useful to improve the visual function of young patients already under the care of an eye care provider.