Any Danger from Leaving Refractive Errors Uncorrected?
MAR 10, 2014
Answer:
Yes, in certain cases. Obviously operating machinery, driving a car and many other tasks will not be safe if there is a significant uncorrected refractive error. Unrecognized and/or uncorrected refractive errors can also lead to educational and social difficulties. However, I am assuming you are asking if there are dangers to the health of the eye.
The connections from the eye to the brain develop in childhood up to about age 9 to 11. In order to have a clear connection, the eye has to obtain a clear image. Significant refractive error — if not corrected — can lead to amblyopia (lazy eye), which can cause a permanent reduction in vision because the connection from the eye did not deliver a clear image to the brain while the brain was developing.