Amblyopia is a unilateral or frequently bilateral condition characterized by a BCVA less than 6/6 in the absence of structural and pathological anomalies, but with one or more of the following conditions occurring before the age of 6 years:

• Significant anisometropia
• Significant isoametropia
• Constant unilateral esotropia or exotropia
• Significant unilateral or bilateral astigmatism
• Image degradation

Even though amblyopia has been around for a while, many of its neurological, physiological, and psychological aspects are still not fully understood. Its consequences include, but are not limited to, poor visual acuity, stereoacuity, pattern recognition, and low sensitivity to motion and contrast. It necessitates sophisticated evaluation and treatment, with patching the better eye to force the brain to use the weaker eye as the gold standard.

This course on amblyopia covers the etiology, types, diagnosis, treatment, and role of the multidisciplinary teams, including optometrists, in provision of therapies to enhance the visual status of patients with this condition.