title: Efficacy of split hours part-time patching versus continuous hours part-time patching for treatment of anisometropic amblyopia in children: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare efficacy of 'split hours part-time patching' and 'continuous hours part-time patching' for the treatment of anisometropic amblyopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We designed a prospective, interventional, non-randomised, comparative pilot study involving children between 4 and 11 years of age with anisometropic amblyopia who were treated with either continuous wear (Group A) or split hours part-time patching (Group B) as per parents wish, after appropriate discussion with the parents. Children were followed-up for the improvement in visual acuity and the compliance at each follow-up visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  44 and 24 children were recruited in Group A and Group B, respectively (mean ± SD baseline BCVA of the amblyopic eye: 0.99 ± 0.32 and 0.95 ± 0.23 logMAR, respectively). BCVA (adjusted for baseline BCVA and age) at 3 months in Group A (0.59 ± 0.24) was comparable (p=0.08) with that in Group B (0.71 ± 0.24). This was same even at 6 months (0.51 ± 0.25 in Group A and 0.59 ± 0.25 in Group B, p=0.25). The improvement in BCVA at 3 months was also comparable (p=0.06) in Group A (0.39 ± 0.23) and Group B (0.26 ± 0.23). The improvement in BCVA at 6 months was also comparable (p=0.14) in Group A (0.47 ± 0.26) and Group B (0.37 ± 0.26).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both patching regimens lead to significant and comparable improvement in BCVA in anisometropic amblyopia up to 6 months of follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus and Neuro-ophthalmology, Nimmagada Prasad Children's Eye Care Centre, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Virender
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sachdeva
authors.forename: Vaibhev
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mittal
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kekunnaya
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Harsha L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mollah
authors.forename: Anand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sontha
authors.forename: Rekha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gunturu
authors.forename: B Venkateshwar
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000550:Amblyopia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005139:Eyeglasses; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Treatment other