Toddler's Eye Injury Uncovers Untreated Lazy Eye, Saving His Vision

A three-year-old boy named Itay was brought to the pediatric emergency room at Shaare Zedek Medical Center after sustaining an eye injury to his right eye caused by a flying piece of plastic from a lawn mower in his home garden. Initial examinations led by Dr. Yaki Caspi, an ophthalmology specialist, revealed a corneal scratch and minor bleeding. However, Itay's vision in the injured right eye was found to be severely impaired, unable to recognize numbers on a chart. Initially, the vision loss was attributed to the trauma, and he was treated accordingly and sent home for daily follow-up.

Three days later, despite the healing of the injury, Itay's right eye vision remained poor, while his left eye vision was normal. This prompted a comprehensive eye evaluation under Dr. Achia Nemat at the pediatric ophthalmology unit managed by Dr. Tamar Shafran. Advanced imaging and specialized tests diagnosed Itay with a severe case of amblyopia (lazy eye) present since birth, which had gone undetected until the injury incident. Dr. Caspi noted that the accidental injury ironically led to the early diagnosis of this condition, which otherwise might have caused permanent and irreversible vision loss.

Following the diagnosis, Itay began a personalized treatment plan involving corrective glasses and an eye patch over the healthy eye. Within one month, his vision improved significantly, allowing him to identify small numbers on the chart, with expectations for continued progress. Dr. Nemat emphasized that young children often do not report vision difficulties, as the dominant eye compensates for the weaker one, making early detection challenging.

Itay's mother, Orel, shared her shock upon learning of her son's lifelong vision impairment despite his normal functioning and activity. She urged parents to prioritize vision screenings at routine infant checkups, highlighting that delays in diagnosis can lead to permanent damage. Both doctors recommend vision tests at ages one, three, and five to ensure healthy visual development, even without symptoms or family history.