The Relationship between the OCT Parameters and Visual Acuity after Occlusion Therapy in Hyperopic Anisometropic Amblyopia

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We measured the macular and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in patients with hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia using optical coherence tomography (OCT) to determine the relationship between final visual acuity after occlusion therapy and these OCT parameters. METHODS: This prospective study comprised 41 patients with unilateral hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia treated from April 2004 to August 2005. According to the final visual acuity after occlusion therapy, we divided our patients into two groups and compared the macular and peripapillary RNFL thicknesses between normal and amblyopic eyes. RESULTS: The mean refractive error was +4.3 diopters (D) in amblyopic eyes, and +1.3 D in normal eyes. The mean macular thickness of group A (patients with final visual acuity equal to or better than 20/25) and group B (patients with final visual acuity worse than 20/25) was 256.8+/-17.7 micrometer and 259.3+/-14.5 micrometer in amblyopic eyes, and 253.8+/-17.3 micrometer and 254.6+/-16.7 micrometer in normal eyes respectively. The mean peripapillary RNFL thickness of group A and group B was 118.6+/-12.9 micrometer and 111.5+/-9.0 micrometer in amblyopic eyes, and 112.9+/-9.2 micrometer and 108.3+/-6.5 micrometer in normal eyes respectively. In group A, there was a significant difference in peripapillary RNFL thickness between amblyopic and normal eyes (P=0.0003, 0.04). However, the RNFLestimated integral of both groups after correction of refractive error and axial length showed no significant difference (P=0.34, 0.45). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant relationship between OCT parameters and final visual acuity after occlusion therapy in hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia.