¤Functional Vision Worksheet¤
Disease: Amblyopia (“lazy eye”)
Condition:
1. Decreased vision in one or both eyes; the brain uses the stronger eye, and
essentially ‘turns off’ the weaker eye ( this is to prevent blurred or double vision)
2. Ambloypia will accompany at least one other condition (anisometropia,
strabismus, isoametropia or form deprivation)
Etiology (cause): Poor or no transmission of the visual image to the brain
· Caused by strabismus (unequal refractive errors)
· Caused by anisometropia (unequal eyeglass prescription between the eyes; if
eyeglasses are not worn there is a risk of developing amblyopia)
Amblyopia can be caused by any eye disease that blocks visual images from
reaching the retina
· Congenital cataracts (opacities of the lens)
· Opacities of the cornea
Portion(s) of anatomy affected:
· A developmental problem in the brain, not an organic problem in the eye
· Can result from eye diseases that affect the lens or cornea
Category of Vision Loss:
· Reduced visual acuity
Resulting effect on vision:
1. Reduced visual functioning in one eye causes solitary use in one eye instead of
both
2. Field loss
3. Poor depth perception, spatial acuity
4. Possible blindness in one eye
5. Blurred Vision
6. Eye fatigue, poor concentration
7. Holding objects close
8. Strong eye dominance
9. Reduced contrast sensitivity
10. Difficulty with accommodation
Examples of potential situations where decreased visual function may occur
1. A student may have difficulty with a new environment where steps and drop-offs
may be present. Familiarization can ease awkwardness and help to anticipate
distances and heights
2. A classroom seating plan that does not favor the student’s functional eye
3. In an attempt to correct amblyopia, an eye patch may cover the stronger eye in
order to force the weaker eye to learn to see. This may cause blurred vision,
fatigue, and frustration when trying to read an assignment.