What is eye patch treatment?

Eye Patch Treatment

Making eye patch treatment for amblyopia more effective for your child

Patching treatment for amblyopia will be more effective if your child's weak eye has to work harder while the normal eye is patched. Games and activities that require visual acuity and eye-hand coordination work well.

  • Start with simple activities.

    At first, your child's coordination may not be good because the brain is still learning how to use the weaker eye. Easy activities will help build your child's confidence.

  • Use arts and crafts.

    Coloring books, paint books, and crafts such as cutting and pasting are all fun activities that require good eye-hand coordination.

  • Move on to active games.

    Tossing beanbags or small balls (such as ping-pong balls) into buckets or other containers can be a fun and challenging activity. Keep in mind that with one eye patched, your child's depth perception will be reduced, and your child may have some difficulty with toss games.

  • Spend time reading and looking at books with your child.

    Picture books and reading require close visual attention. Even if your child is not reading yet, looking at the pictures in children's books is a good way to make the weak eye work during patching. Have your child look at the details of the pictures. If your child is learning to read, help them work through the text.

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The content above contains general health information provided by Healthwise, Incorporated, and reviewed by its medical experts. This content should not replace the advice of your healthcare provider. Not all treatments or services described are offered as services by us. For recommended treatments, please consult your healthcare provider.