Amblyopia, more commonly known as ‘lazy-eye’ is the related to the eyes, where one eye is weaker than the other, and thus lead to poor vision among the patient. Until recently, lazy-eye was thought to be impossible to cure in the adults. But researchers have found a way by introducing investigational electromagnetic brain stimulation technology. In this technology, magnetic impulses are beamed into the brain, which leads to temporary but effective improvement in the lazy-eye.

Young children, who suffer from Amblyopia, are made to wear a patch on the stronger eye, to actually strengthen the weaker eye. The trick had been successful, but only in children. There had been no cure for the adults who suffer from this ailment. In America, by surprise, more than 6 million people having lazy-eye are adults.

Amblyopia is closely related to the cortex of the brain. Cortex forms a vital part of the brain, which is involved with vision and also in some other functions. Lazy eye is formed, when the connections between the cortex and the eye are not properly developed. There are some abnormalities in the visual cortex of the brain, which leads to indistinct vision. The signals sent by the cortex through the optic nerves are not correctly processed. The scientists till now assumed that if the connections do not form till the age of 10, then it’s too late for the individual to overcome the ailment

The latest discovery by the scientists has raised a hope that lazy-eye can be cured in adults too. The findings would be published in the July 22 issue of Current Biology. The research which was carried out through pilot studies at various parts of the

In the report Robert F. Hess, Ph.D., D.SC., of McGill University reported that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, which induces weak electrical currents in the brain’s outer cortex, produced brief but significant improvements in contrast sensitivity in a 14-participant clinical trial.

In the clinical trial, where 9 individuals suffering from the ailment were induced with 15-minutes of magnetic brain stimulation improved the vision of the weaker eye tempoaraily.

Benjamin Thompson, a postdoctoral fellow in the ophthalmology department at McGill University in Canada, and a member of the group said, “We were surprised by how well it worked. Vision in the amblyopic eye improved for at least 20 minutes after transcranial magnetic stimulation."

This same technology has also been found quite useful in the treatment for major depression. Though it has not yet been approved by the FDA, yet it is undeniable that this technology can help the adults suffering from amblyopia to a great extent.