Efficacy of Spectacles before Amblyopia Treatment in Anisometropic Amblyopia

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To identify the efficacy of spectacle wearing for 4 months before amblyopia treatment in children with anisometropic amblyopia. METHODS: The patients with anisometropic amblyopia without strabismus were selected for the present study. The patients were divided into 2 groups; patients who began amblyopia treatment while simultaneously wearing glasses (Group A, 16 patients) and patients who began amblyopia treatment after wearing spectacles for 4 months (Group B, 17 patients). Intermittent atropine penalization or part-time occlusion was provided for amblyopia treatment. Age and best-corrected visual acuity at the start and cessation of treatment, type of amblyopia, treatment method and duration of treatment were analyzed. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences among age, best-corrected visual acuity of the amblyopic and better eyes, type of amblyopia, or treatment method between the 2 groups. In Group B, visual acuity of the amblyopic and better eyes improved after 4 months of spectacle wearing. At the last visit, there were no statistical differences of visual acuity in the amblyopic eye between the 2 groups. In children with resolution of amblyopia, the treatment duration of Group A (15 patients) was 17.3 months, longer than the 4.7 months in Group B (13 patients) (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Wearing spectacles for 4 months prior to amblyopia treatment may be an effective method of shortening the treatment duration.