title: Efficacy of an Amblyopia Treatment Program with Both Eyes Open: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the efficacy of an amblyopia treatment program with both eyes open.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten subjects (mean age 20.5 ± 1.5 years) were enrolled. All subjects had un-remarkable ophthalmic examinations, but several subjects had minor refractive errors. Vision function was evaluated using the 3-D visual function trainer-ORTe. Brain measurements were made using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine the oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2) concentration change upon visual stimulus presentation. The three conditions were as follows: both eyes open and both eyes stimulated, both eyes open and only one eye stimulated, and one eye open and one eye stimulated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Changes in HbO2 between the rest and stimulation phases were not statistically different between the unilateral and bilateral stimulation conditions with both eyes open. However, HbO2change was significantly higher in subjects with both eyes open than in subjects with one eye closed (P < 0.001, all comparisons).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Greater activation of the visual cortex is achieved when subjects are treated with both eyes open as compared to subjects with one eye occluded. From a perspective of functional brain activation, amblyopia treatment administered without occluding the healthy eye may provide the greatest therapeutic benefit.
authors: From the Doctor's Program of Medical Science, Kitasato University Graduate School, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara 252-0373; mm14004q@st.kitasato-u.ac.jp.
authors: Yo
authors: Y
authors: Iwata
authors: Department of Rehabilitation, Orthoptics and Visual Science Course, School of Allied Health Science, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara 252-0373.
authors: Tomoya
authors: T
authors: Handa
authors: Department of Rehabilitation, Orthoptics and Visual Science Course, School of Allied Health Science, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara 252-0373.|Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara 252-0373, Japan.
authors: Hitoshi
authors: H
authors: Ishikawa
authors: Department of Rehabilitation, Orthoptics and Visual Science Course, School of Allied Health Science, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara 252-0373.|Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara 252-0373, Japan.
authors: Nobuyuki
authors: N
authors: Shoji
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara 252-0373, Japan.
authors: Kimiya
authors: K
authors: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D000550:Amblyopia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010108:Oxyhemoglobins
keywords: amblyopia; amblyopia treatment program; near infrared spectroscopy