The Refractive Errors and Axial Length in Amblyopia

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: It is the purpose of this study to investigate the distribution of the refractive error between amblyopic and nonamblyopic eye in the strabismic or anisometropic amblyopia and also evaluate the relationship among refractive error, axial length and the depth of amblyopia. METHODS: We prospectively reviewed the corrected best visual acuity, amount of deviation, cycloplegic refractive error and axial length in a total of 65 patients who are 29 strabismic and 36 anisometropic amblyopic patients from February 1999 to June 2001. RESULTS: Hyperopia was detected in as many as 20 of 29 strabismic (69%) and 22 of 36 anisometropic amblyopia (61%). In strabismic amblyopia the depth of amblyopia is correlated with the degree of hyperopia (r=0.535, p=0.022), not with axial length. In anisometropic amblyopia, the depth of amblyopia is correlated with the degree of hyperopia (r=0.689, p=0.000) and the degree of myopia (r=-0.691, p=0.013), and in especially hyperopic anisometropia, it is correlated with axial length (r=0.513, p=0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Hyperopia was the major refractive error in strabismic and anisometropic amblyopia and the depth of amblyopia is correlated with degree of hyperopia. In hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia, the greater the depth of amblyopia, the shorter the axial length.