Bangerter foils in the treatment of moderate amblyopia.

PURPOSE: To investigate Bangerter foils as an alternative method of treating amblyopia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-three amblyopic children with vision of 20/60 or better in the amblyopic eye were treated with Bangerter foils. The foils were used as primary treatment in 15 patients and after initial occlusion therapy in 18 patients. The Bangerter foils were worn fulltime on the spectacle lens in front of the dominant eye. The density of the foil was decreased as vision improved. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients had good compliance. All of these achieved 20/30 vision or better in the amblyopic eye with an average of 1.4 years follow-up after cessation of treatment. Over half retained 20/20 acuity. CONCLUSION: Bangerter foils are effective for treatment of amblyopia with 20/60 or better vision. They can be used as primary treatment or as alternative treatment in cases where patching therapy is not providing further benefit.

Children with exotropia responsive to spectacle correction of hyperopia.

A series of seven exotropic children (aged 2 to 10 years) had resolution of exotropia after spectacle correction of hyperopia. Their hyperopic correction ranged from 3.00 to 7.00 diopters. Six had intermittent exotropia, which became small-angle esophoria after spectacle correction. In one patient with apparently no fusion, spectacle correction converted constant exotropia to small esotropia in the monofixational range. In all patients, Worth 4-dot and Titmus Stereo Test results, when obtainable, indicated an improvement in binocular sensory status after correction of the hyperopia. We conclude that a trial of spectacle correction is warranted in exotropic children with severe hyperopia and in those with moderate hyperopia and a low accommodative convergence/accommodation ratio or evidence of hypoaccommodation.

Results of overminus lens therapy on postoperative exodeviations.

This paper is a study in the use of overminus lenses for 37 patients with postoperative exodeviations. These patients have been observed for a period ranging from three to nine years following their surgery. This study includes: (1) the immediate response to overminus treatment, (2) results at the time of cessation of overminus therapy, and (3) the follow-up results. The results are evaluated with an average follow-up of 24 months after termination of treatment and sequentially at one-year intervals following overminus therapy.