Amblyopia is Latin for “Lazy Eye”. The result is poor vision in an eye that did not develop normal sight during early childhood. When one eye develops good vision while the other does not, the eye with poorer vision is called amblyopic. Usually, only one eye is affected by amblyopia, but it is possible for both eyes to be affected. Amblyopia is detected by finding a difference in vision between the two eyes or poor vision in both eyes. Since it is difficult to measure vision in young children, your ophthalmologist often assesses visual acuity by watching how well a baby follows objects with one eye when the other eye is covered. A dilated exam and retinoscopy can measure to see if glasses are required to treat and prevent further vision loss. Often, amblyopia and strabismus (crossed or wall eyes) occur simultaneously. Strabismus can be corrected surgically for both functional and cosmetic improvement.