Authors:

Abstract

Aim: To determine whether the level of visual acuity achieved after occlusion for amblyopia was main­tained for at least 5 years after cessation of treatment.

Methods: Patients whose amblyopia had been suc­cessfully treated and in whom at least 5 years had elapsed since treatment were recalled for assessment of their present level of visual acuity. The types of occlusion used, duration of treatment and the treatment regimes were recorded. The patient’s comments with regard to their hospital visits were assessed using a questionnaire.

Results: Four hundred patients met the inclusion criteria and were recalled for assessment. Seventy-six patients attended the recall appointment. Two cases were excluded from data analysis due to complica­tions with repeated episodes of occlusion treatment, leaving 74 cases for analysis. Sixty-four patients had maintained their level of visual acuity and 10 showed a reduction in their acuity. The average vision reduction was 2.6 Snellen lines. The reduction ranged from 1 to 4 lines for 7 patients with strabismus, 3 lines for 2 cases of anisometropia and 5 lines for 1 patient who had developed keratoconus.

Conclusion: Occlusion treatment can be beneficial and the improvement in visual acuity is more likely to be maintained than to regress.

Keywords: Amblyopia, Maintained, Occlusion, Regressed, Visual acuity