Lazy eye is when a person's eyes don't work together. One of the eyes does not pull its weight when looking at an image and deciphering its meaning, causing the other eye to become strained. This is because the eye that is not functioning well does not allow for any clarity of vision. This problem is most common in small children whose visual systems are still developing. However, if lazy eye is not diagnosed until a child is in his or her teens or an adult, then corrective treatment will need to be prescribed. Here are some options for treatment when helping an adult with lazy eye.

1. Corrective Lenses

The first step is always to try corrective lenses because these are the least time consuming option and allow teens and adults to operate normally in the world almost immediately. In order to get the proper corrective lenses, you will have to go in for an eye exam in order for an eye doctor to assess your prognosis. He or she will likely put you through a range of lenses in order to see if any of them are able to correct your lazy eye. 

If any of them work, your eye doctor will talk to you about possibly patching the eye. If your job requires you to look professional, chances are good that you are not going to want to wear a patch. You need to be able to reduce the ability of your eye that works to help out your other eye. This can be accomplished, for adults, through wearing prescription sunglasses all the time, with the part of the glasses that is covering the good eye painted black. This will allow you to maintain your position at work and still force your lazy eye to get stronger. 

Your eye doctor will be able to provide your employer with a note if you need one in order to be allowed to wear sunglasses all the time.

2. Eye Training Computer Programs

Another option is to use eye training computer programs in order to force both of your eyes to work together. This is the second option because it requires much more time and effort than simply wearing glasses that have been blacked out. These computer programs essentially consist of a patient sitting in front of a screen being shown different images that are farther apart. The images are mirrored so that the eye that is not working properly needs to strain to see its own half of the image before the brain is able to decode it. 

Many people go through these training programs every week for a few months. They are usually done in an eye doctor's office.

For more information, talk to your eye doctor. 

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