Risk Factors for Amblyopia

Amblyopia is characterized by loss of visual acuity without visible organic cause, although it is attributed to abnormal brain development. It is prevalent in children from zero to 8 years, but there are cases of older patients and even adults. This article aims to systematize the main risk factors for amblyopia in studies carried out in ophthalmic care centers. For this purpose, a documentary review of academic and scientific material was carried out. Two risk factors were identified, ocular type such as strabismus, myopia, isolated or combined astigmatism, refractive errors, and non-ocular such as prematurity, low birth weight, and maternal smoking. Risk factors are genetic risk factors, failure to detect and treat early, due to socio-environmental factors like poverty and lack of ophthalmic services, or extraordinary situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.