J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2010 Feb;51(2):259-265. 10.3341/jkos.2010.51.2.259.

Comparison of Part-time Occlusion Therapy and Intermittent Atropine Penalization Therapy for Amblyopic Children of School Age

• Lee K
• Chae JB
• Choi MY

• KMID: 2213149
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2010.51.2.259

Abstract

PURPOSE
To compare the outcome of part-time occlusion therapy and intermittent atropine penalization therapy in amblyopic school-age patients.
METHODS
In the present study, the authors retrospectively analyzed school-age amblyopic patients treated with part-time occlusion therapy (Group 1) and intermittent atropine penalization therapy (Group 2) as primary treatments. Age, visual acuity (logMAR) and interocular acuity differences at the beginning of treatment, cause of amblyopia, depth of amblyopia, and compliance for treatment were analyzed. Visual acuity and the lines of improvement from baseline visual acuity in the amblyopic eye were compared between the two groups with high compliance.
RESULTS
The number of patients was 43 in Group 1 and 23 in Group 2. Age and the baseline visual acuity were not significantly different between Group 1 and Group 2. Group 2 had a higher level of compliance than did Group 1 (91.7; 63.4%), but there was no statistical difference between the groups (p=0.064). The visual acuity (logMAR, 0.27:0.05, p=0.020) and the lines of improvement of the amblyopic eye at the final follow-up (2.7:4.2 lines, p=0.010) were better in Group 1 than in Group 2 with high compliance.
CONCLUSIONS
In amblyopic school-age children, part-time occlusion therapy could be conducted as primary treatment in cases with high compliance. Intermittent atropine penalization therapy can be attempted if there is low compliance in occlusion therapy.

Keyword

Amblyopia; Atropine; Compliance; Occlusion; School age

MeSH Terms

Amblyopia
Atropine
Child
Compliance
Eye
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Retrospective Studies
Visual Acuity
Atropine

Reference

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