title: A pilot randomized clinical trial of intermittent occlusion therapy liquid crystal glasses versus traditional patching for treatment of moderate unilateral amblyopia.
abstract: To compare the effectiveness of intermittent occlusion therapy (IO therapy) using liquid crystal glasses and continuous occlusion therapy using traditional adhesive patches for treating amblyopia.
  
  
  
  Children 3-8 years of age with previously untreated, moderate, unilateral amblyopia (visual acuity of 20/40 to 20/100 in the amblyopic eye) were enrolled in this randomized controlled trial. Amblyopia was associated with strabismus, anisometropia, or both. All subjects had worn any optimal refractive correction for at least 12 weeks without improvement. Subjects were randomized into two treatment groups: a 4-hour IO therapy group with liquid crystal glasses (Amblyz), set at 30-second opaque/transparent intervals (occluded 50% of wear time), and a 2-hour continuous patching group (occluded 100% of wear time). For each patient, visual acuity was measured using ATS-HOTV before and after 12 weeks of treatment.
  
  
  
  Data from 34 patients were available for analysis. Amblyopic eye visual acuity improvement from baseline was 0.15 ± 0.12 logMAR (95% CI, 0.09-0.15) in the IO therapy group (n = 19) and 0.15 ± 0.11 logMAR (95% CI, 0.1-0.15) in the patching group (n = 15). In both groups improvement was significant, but the difference between groups was not (P = 0.73). No adverse effects were reported.
  
  
  
  In this pilot study, IO therapy with liquid crystal glasses is not inferior to adhesive patching and is a promising alternative treatment for children 3-8 years of age with moderate amblyopia.
authors.affiliation: Salus University Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania; Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis. Electronic address: jingyun.wang@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jingyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Neely
authors.affiliation: Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.affiliation: Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schliesser
authors.affiliation: Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: April
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.affiliation: Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Tina G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Damarjian
authors.affiliation: Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kovarik
authors.affiliation: Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bowsher
authors.affiliation: Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Donaldson
authors.affiliation: Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Kathryn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Haider
authors.affiliation: Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Gavin J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Derek T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Sprunger
authors.affiliation: Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Plager
mesh_terms: D000550:Amblyopia / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050866:Liquid Crystals; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D016896:Treatment Outcome