Differences in the management of amblyopia between European countries.
BACKGROUND
Amblyopia treatment is not standardised and differences between centres and countries have not been systematically investigated. This survey compares the different patterns of orthoptic treatment of amblyopia in the United Kingdom (UK) and three German speaking countries (GSC).


METHODS
Questionnaires were sent to orthoptists in the UK and the GSC asking for their preferred choices of treatment of amblyopia between the ages of 6 months to 10 years.


RESULTS
The following significant differences in management of amblyopia were found: (1) the number of hours of occlusion per week was higher in the GSC, p<0.0001, (2) orthoptists in the GSC treat amblyopia up to an older age. Orthoptists in the GSC and in the UK predicted similar treatment outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
Orthoptists in the GSC usually treat patients more intensively and for longer, while the prediction of visual outcome does not differ significantly between countries. These results highlight the lack of standardisation in the treatment of the various types of amblyopia.
Tan
J H Y
JH
Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicester, UK. jtan_ophth@yahoo.co.uk
Thompson
J R
JR
Gottlob
I
I
D000367:Age Factors; D000550:Amblyopia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001285:Atropine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005060:Europe; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009184:Mydriatics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013285:Strabismus / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
D009184:Mydriatics; D001285:Atropine