The Efficacy of Intermittent Atropine Penalization in Amblyopic Children Who Have Failed Patching Therapy

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of intermittent atropine penalization (AP) in amblyopic children who have failed patching therapy. METHODS: Twenty-one amblyopic (visual acuity in the amblyopic eye >or= 0.3) children (mean age, 7.8 years) who had failed patching therapy were treated with intermittent AP consisting of one drop of atropine 1% in the sound eye, twice per week. The visual acuity was analyzed in the cases of at least 3-month follow-up after intermittent AP. Treatment success was defined as an improvement in final visual acuity of 2 lines more than baseline visual acuity in the amblyopic eye. RESULTS: The cause of amblyopia in the 21 cases was strabismus in 10 and anisometropia in 11. The mean visual acuities (logMAR) of the amblyopic eye were +0.28 before AP and +0.07 after AP. Of the 21 patients, success was achieved in 17 (84.2%), and their mean treatment duration was 7.5 months. The compliance rate with intermittent AP was 90.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Intermittent AP could be considered for amblyopic children (visual acuity in the amblyopic eye >or= 0.3) who have failed patching therapy.