Termination of amblyopia treatment: when to stop follow-up visits and risk factors for recurrence.
BACKGROUND
This study estimated when it is safe to stop follow-up visits after cessation of amblyopia treatment and to identify factors associated with deterioration of visual acuity.


METHODS
Study patients included 282 patients aged 7 to 13 years who were monitored for deterioration after cessation of amblyopia treatment (median follow-up: 3.9 years).


RESULTS
Six (2.1%) patients lost 2 or more logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution levels of visual acuity and 77 (27.3%) patients lost 1 or more Snellen lines of visual acuity. Good compliance with re-treatment stopped further deterioration and lost visual acuity was regained (average follow-up after re-treatment: 3.3 years). Life table analysis indicated that 95% of the cases that deteriorated occurred within 24 months after cessation of treatment. Multivariable analysis corrected for duration of treatment uncovered factors independently associated with deterioration.


CONCLUSIONS
A clinically important risk of deterioration of visual acuity was found during the first 2 years after cessation of amblyopia treatment. Follow-up time longer than 2 years is recommended in the presence of a developing risk factor such as increasing anisometropia. With prompt re-treatment and good compliance, deterioration can be stopped and visual acuity can be restored.
De Weger
Christine
C
Orthoptic Unit, Wilhelmina Ziekenhuis, Assen, The Netherlands.
Van Den Brom
Henry J B
HJ
Lindeboom
Robert
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000550:Amblyopia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015993:Life Tables; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009819:Office Visits; D012307:Risk Factors; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D028761:Withholding Treatment