Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026

The Measurement and Treatment of Suppression in Amblyopia
Published on: December 14, 2012
Insights
This review examines treatments for amblyopia (lazy eye), including vision therapy and glasses, and discusses early detection through screening. Evidence quality was evaluated for various interventions.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Optometry
- Visual Neuroscience
Background:
- Amblyopia, or lazy eye, affects 2-4% of children and is linked to strabismus or refractive errors.
- It arises from unequal visual input during critical developmental periods (under 7-8 years).
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the effectiveness of amblyopia detection and medical treatments.
- To evaluate interventions for amblyopia in children.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a systematic review of 16 studies (reviews, RCTs, observational studies).
- Searched major databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane) up to May 2008.
- Included safety data from regulatory agencies (FDA, MHRA).
Main Results:
- Evaluated the quality of evidence for various amblyopia interventions using GRADE.
- Identified studies on active vision therapy, glasses, occlusion, and penalization treatments.
- Assessed the effectiveness of screening methods for early amblyopia detection.
Conclusions:
- Summarizes evidence on the effectiveness and safety of amblyopia treatments.
- Highlights interventions including vision therapy, glasses, occlusion, and penalization.
- Provides insights into screening for early detection of amblyopia.
Introduction:
Amblyopia is commonly associated with squint (strabismus) or refractive errors resulting in different visual inputs to each eye during the sensitive period of visual development (<7-8 years of age). The cumulative incidence is estimated at 2% to 4% in children aged up to 15 years.
Methods And Outcomes:
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of interventions to detect amblyopia early? What are the effects of medical treatments for amblyopia? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to May 2008 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations, such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Results:
We found 16 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
Conclusions:
In this systematic review, we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: active vision therapy; glasses alone or with occlusion; or penalisation to treat amblyopia; and screening to detect amblyopia early.
Related Concept Videos
Focusing of Light in the Eye
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways
Angle Closure Glaucoma: Treatment
Glaucoma: Overview
Prosopagnosia
Open Angle Glaucoma: Treatment
Drugs such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, α2- and...
