Why amblyopia (lazy eye) cannot be surgically or anyhow treated at adulthood? I know that if treated properly at childhood that eye can function normally, but why is it hard to develop it later?

Question

Why amblyopia (lazy eye) cannot be surgically or anyhow treated at adulthood? I know that if treated properly at childhood that eye can function normally, but why is it hard to develop it later?

In: Biology

Answer 1

The brain is naturally ~~lazy~~ efficient. If it’s getting bad information from the opic nerve in the lazy eye, it’ll choose to ignore and favor the good eye. As a person gets older, the brain may completely cut off information from that nerve, even if the lazy eye is fixed surgically.

You want to treat the lazy eye early before a person ages enough that the brain cuts off signal from the lazy eye.