Optimal compliance for amblyopia therapy: occlusion with a translucent tape on the lens.
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate that optimal compliance to amblyopia therapy and a better visual outcome can be achieved by occluding the lens over the preferred eye with a translucent tape.


METHODS
Prospective study of amblyopic children.


METHODS
Eighty-four amblyopic children recruited from 2000 to 2006 at the Montreal Children's Vision Centre.


METHODS
A group of bilateral ametropes (mean age 3.8 years) were treated with glasses and occlusion of the sound eye with a translucent tape on the lens over the preferred eye, or an adhesive patch. The translucent tape reduced vision to hand motion at 0.3 m in the sound eye. Patients were divided into 2 groups depending on the treatment received. Group 1 (n = 36) was occluded with a translucent tape, and group 2 (n = 48) with a conventional adhesive patch, later replaced by the translucent tape. Twenty-five previously reported patients, treated with the conventional adhesive patch only, were used as controls (group 3).


RESULTS
The mean amblyopic visual acuity was 20/100-2. Compliance was good in 36 patients (group 1), and was poor or deteriorated in 24/48 patients (group 2). Substituting the adhesive patch with a translucent tape permitted uninterrupted and prolonged occlusion, with a successful visual outcome. The amblyopic eye achieved a significantly better final vision (20/30+2; groups 1+2) than the controls (20/40+1; group 3) (p = 0.04). Sixty-four (76.19%) patients achieved >or=20/30.


CONCLUSIONS
The translucent tape optimizes compliance and yields better vision by lengthening the duration of occlusion therapy and reducing the number of treatment failures due to noncompliance.
Children's Vision Centre, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Que. Raquel.beneish@muhc.mcgill.ca
Raquel G
RG
Beneish
Robert C
RC
Polomeno
Michael E
ME
Flanders
Robert K
RK
Koenekoop
D000550:Amblyopia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005139:Eyeglasses; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009779:Occlusive Dressings; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology