title: Amblyopia in astigmatic preschool children.
abstract: Best-corrected acuity was measured for vertical and horizontal gratings and for recognition acuity optotypes (Lea Symbols) in a group of three- to five-year-old children with a high prevalence of astigmatism. Results showed meridional amblyopia (MA) among children with simple/compound myopic or mixed astigmatism, due to reduced acuity for horizontal gratings. Children with simple/compound hyperopic astigmatism showed no MA, but did show reduced acuity for both grating orientations. Reduced best-corrected recognition acuity was shown by both myopic/mixed and hyperopic astigmats. These results suggest that optical correction of astigmatism should be provided prior to age three to five years, to prevent development of amblyopia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arizona, 655 N. Alvernon, Suite 108, Tucson, AZ 85711, USA. vdobson@eyes.arizona.edu
authors.forename: Velma
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dobson
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Mohan
mesh_terms: D000550:Amblyopia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D009216:Myopia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D014787:Vision Tests; D014792:Visual Acuity