[A cost analysis of therapy for amblyopia for an outpatient at a university hospital]

To analyze the costs of therapy for amblyopia for an outpatient using occlusion of the normal sighted eye and its visual results.

A prospective study was performed to evaluate the costs of therapy for amblyopia at the Strabismus Sector of the Hospital São Paulo--Universidade Federal de São Paulo/Escola Paulista de Medicina. Children with amblyopia ranging in age from 3 to 7 years were included in the study. The patients were followed since the diagnosis time until three consecutive visits. At the diagnosis time we prescribed glasses when necessary and total, direct and continuous occlusion of the normal sighted eye. Information about the therapy and the cost of therapy for amblyopia was collected at the following visits. To analyze the results the costs were separated into direct (glasses and occlusors) and indirect (transport, and cost of parent's/guardian's workday).

Fourteen patients were analyzed. The mean age was 5.21 years (from 3 to 7 years) and 7 (50%) patients were male and 7 (50%) female. The average of the monthly cost of amblyopia therapy was R$ 59.49 and the average of the annual cost was R$ 714.47. The average monthly cost of therapy for amblyopia represented 12.20% of the monthly family income.

The therapy for amblyopia is efficient and improves visual acuity of the amblyopic eye in 71.43% of the cases. The monthly cost of this therapy is R$ 59.49 being 12.20% of the patient's family income.