MARCH: Save Your Vision Month

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Amblyopia, commonly referred to as "lazy eye," is reduced vision in one or both eyes. Wearing glasses alone does not improve amblyopia. Amblyopia is the leading cause of vision loss in children and affects about four out of every 100 children. Children with amblyopia often show no obvious signs of eye trouble.

"Children with amblyopia, once identified and in the care of an eye doctor, stand a good chance (80%) of having their amblyopia treated and cured," said Paulette Schmidt, O.D., M.S. of The Ohio State University College of Optometry and medical director of the Ohio Amblyope Registry. "However, evidence suggests that more than half of children with amblyopia may never be seen by an eye doctor while in their childhood years when treatment is effective." When amblyopia is not cured, the condition can limit career opportunities including such vocations as airline pilots, police officers and commercial truck drivers.

Parents are encouraged to take their children to an eye doctor for regular exams. Additional information about the Ohio Amblyope Registry is available at http://www.ohioamblyoperegistry.com/. Established as part of the Ohio Department of Health Save Our Sight fund, the Ohio Amblyope Registry receives funds when a donation box is checked on Ohio license plate renewal forms.

In addition to the Ohio Amblyope Registry, the Ohio Optometric Association sponsors these other vision programs for children.

-- Realeyes, an educational initiative in which optometrists present a standardized curriculum about the importance of vision care to students in local classrooms (ooa.org/intro.html) -- InfantSEE, a public health program which provides a free vision evaluation for children under one year of age (http://www.infantsee.org/) -- Also students referred for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) are required by state law to have an eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. A list of doctors providing eye exams is available at http://www.iepeyeexam.org/.

CONTACT: Rick Cornett of Ohio Optometric Association, +1-614-781-0708, info@ooa.org.