Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026
The Measurement and Treatment of Suppression in Amblyopia
Published on: December 14, 2012
Compliance of amblyopic patients with occlusion therapy: A pilot study
Sana Al-Zuhaibi1, Iman Al-Harthi, Pascale Cooymans
1Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
Insights
Poor compliance with occlusion therapy hinders amblyopia treatment success. Visual acuity improvement correlates with better patching compliance, but parents struggle with understanding and adherence.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Vision Science
Background:
- Occlusion therapy is crucial for successful amblyopia treatment.
- Compliance with prescribed occlusion therapy is paramount for achieving optimal outcomes in amblyopic patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the level of patient compliance with occlusion therapy for amblyopia.
- To identify factors influencing compliance in children undergoing amblyopia treatment.
Main Methods:
- A nonrandomized clinical intervention study was conducted.
- 31 children (aged 2-12) with unilateral amblyopia were recruited.
- Parental interviews and questionnaires, alongside clinical data review, were used to assess compliance and influencing factors.
Main Results:
- Only 45% of patients demonstrated good compliance with occlusion therapy.
- Improved visual acuity was significantly correlated with better patching compliance (P=0.008).
- Parental challenges included child cooperation (97%), understanding amblyopia (58%), and desire for more information (32%).
Conclusions:
- Non-compliance presents a significant barrier to effective amblyopia therapy.
- Visual acuity gains are linked to adherence to patching protocols.
- Educational strategies are needed to improve parental comprehension and compliance with occlusion therapy.
Background:
Increasing evidence shows that good compliance with occlusion therapy is paramount for successful amblyopia therapy.
Purpose:
To study the degree of compliance and explore factors affecting compliance in patients undergoing occlusion therapy for amblyopia in our practice.
Design:
Nonrandomized clinical intervention study.
Materials And Methods:
A total of 31 families with a child (aged 2-12 years), undergoing unilateral amblyopia treatment at the pediatric ophthalmology clinic of Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman, were recruited for this one month study. Parents were interviewed and completed a closed-ended questionnaire. Clinical data including, visual acuity, refraction, diagnosis and treatment, for each patient was collected from the hospital chart and was entered in a data collection sheet. Compliance with occlusion therapy was assessed by self-report accounts of parents and was graded into good, partial, or poor. Association between various factors and degree of compliance was studied using logistic regression modeling.
Results:
Only 14 (45%) patients showed good compliance to occlusion therapy. 17 (55%) patients were noncompliant. Improvement in visual acuity strongly correlated with compliance to patching (P = 0.008). Other variables that were studied included, age at onset of therapy; gender; degree of amblyopia; type of amblyopia; use of glasses; and compliance with glasses. These did not emerge as significant predictors of compliance. All but one family with poor compliance stated that the main challenge in following the recommendation to patch for requisite hours was in getting their child to cooperate. Only in one instance, the family cited nonavailability of patches as the main hindrance to compliance. 10/31 (32%) families expressed a desire for more information and 18/31 (58%) parents did not understand that amblyopia meant decreased vision.
Conclusion:
Poor compliance is a barrier to successful amblyopia therapy in our practice. Improvement in visual acuity is associated with better compliance with patching. Parents find it difficult to comprehend and retain verbal explanations of various components regarding occlusion therapy for amblyopia. Future study with a larger sample of patients is recommended to investigate the factors affecting compliance with amblyopia therapy and determine predictors for poor compliance.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Angle Closure Glaucoma: Treatment
01:27Open Angle Glaucoma: Treatment
Drugs such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, α2- and...
01:23Ophthalmic Drug Delivery Systems