The results of treatment of anisomyopic and anisohypermetropic amblyopia.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the results of treatment of anisomyopic and anisohypermetropic amblyopia comparing full-time and part-time occlusion.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of case records of 100 patients of anisometropic amblyopia was carried out. Age, visual acuity, cycloplegic refraction, response, and compliance to treatment were recorded. Full-time occlusion (FTO) or part-time occlusion (PTO) was prescribed as treatment.


RESULTS
The age of children ranged from 4 to 13 years (mean 7.65 years). In total, 66% of the patients were anisomyopic and 34% were anisohypermetropic. FTO was prescribed in 64 (64%), PTO in 29 (29%). Follow-up ranged from 1 to 24 months. The paired t-test revealed significant improvement of mean visual acuity in the FTO group (t = 13.272) compared with the PTO group (t = 7.386). A final visual acuity of 6/9 or better was achieved by 51% (34/66) anisomyopic amblyopes and 52% (18/34) anisohypermetropic amblyopes. Noncompliance to the treatment was 21%. Occlusion amblyopia was seen in four (4%) of the children.


CONCLUSIONS
FTO is superior to PTO for the treatment of amblyopia. The greatest amount of improvement in visual acuity was seen in simple myopes and the least in simple hyperopes. Compliance is critical for successful treatment of amblyopia.
Department of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Medical and Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, 18 College Road, Chennai, India. chekitaan@rediffmail.com
Chekitaan
B
B
Karthikeyan
S
S
Meenakshi
D000293:Adolescent; D000550:Amblyopia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015858:Anisometropia / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006956:Hyperopia / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000150:complications*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity