Amblyopia found not to cause permanent blindness

Scientists have discovered through animal models that children deprived of sight in initial stages of life might only suffer from improper wiring in their brain that is able to be effectively rewired with restoration of vision. Causes of blurred vision (amblyopia) in children include congenital cataracts, which is easily treatable with surgery, allowing immediate return of sight and reparation of neuronal connections in the brain from the affected eye to the visual cortex. The researchers also found that visual acuity was more rapidly restored with the use of both eyes, as opposed to patching the good eye in order to strengthen the recovering eye.

Source: summary of medical news story as reported by EurekAlert!

Related Disease Topics:

• Amblyopia
• Congenital cataracts

Related Symptom Topics:

• Blurred vision
• Sight

Article Source Details

About: Amblyopia found not to cause permanent blindness

Date: 19 October 2005

Source: EurekAlert!

Author: Heidi Hardman

URL: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-10/cp-scr101805.php

Related Medical Topics

This summary article refers to the following medical categories:

• Surgery
• Surgery and vision
• Surgery and sight
• Surgery and loss of vision
• Surgery and loss of sight
• Surgery and congenital cataracts
• Surgery and cataracts
• Cause of loss of vision
• Cause of loss of sight
• Cause of amblyopia
• Cause of childhood condition
• Research
• Research and vision
• Research and sight
• Research and loss of vision
• Research and loss of sight
• Research and congenital cataracts
• Research and amblyopia
• Research and blurred vision
• Research and childhood condition
• Research and blindness
• Research and visual disturbance

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