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Updated: May 8, 2026
The Measurement and Treatment of Suppression in Amblyopia
Published on: December 14, 2012
Compliance to patching in the treatment of amblyopia
Ahmed Al-Yahya1, Khalid Al-Odan, Khalid Allam
1Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
Patient compliance with amblyopia (lazy eye) patching is significantly influenced by insight and attitude, not just knowledge. Addressing physical patch discomfort is crucial for improving treatment adherence in children.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
Background:
- Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is a common cause of reduced vision in children.
- Successful amblyopia treatment relies heavily on consistent patching therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess amblyopic patients' compliance with prescribed patching.
- To identify factors contributing to poor compliance.
- To propose strategies for enhancing treatment adherence.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional, retrospective study involving 37 families of children with unilateral amblyopia.
- Data collected via interviews and medical records, focusing on knowledge, attitude, insight, and community influence.
- Scores for each domain were correlated with patching compliance percentages.
Main Results:
- Patient insight and attitude demonstrated a statistically significant correlation with patching compliance (p=0.002 and p=0.004).
- Knowledge and community influence did not show a significant correlation with compliance (p=0.084 and p=0.114).
- Qualitative data revealed additional factors impacting adherence, including patch physical properties.
Conclusions:
- Improving amblyopia patching compliance requires more than patient education; fostering a deeper understanding of the condition's impact is essential.
- Addressing physical discomforts associated with patches, such as irritation and poor adhesion, is vital for better adherence.
Purpose:
To evaluate compliance of amblyopic patients to patching, and to identify reasons of poor compliance and suggest methods to overcome the problem.
Methods:
We conducted a cross-sectional, retrospective study that included 37 families with a child diagnosed with unilateral amblyopia (age range 3-16 years) and attending the Pediatrics Ophthalmology clinic at the King Abdulaziz University Hospital (a tertiary eye hospital). Data were collected through interviews and from hospital charts. In the interviews we asked questions that sought information with regard to four aspects (domains); knowledge, attitude, insight and community's effect. A score representing each domain was given to every family then we correlated these scores with family's compliance percentage.
Results:
When correlated with compliance, the insight and attitude domains showed a statistically significant correlation; p-value 0.002 and 0.004, respectively. However, the knowledge and community's effect domains were not; p-value 0.084 and 0.114, respectively. Other qualitative factors affecting compliance were identified with open questions. Quotes from families of what they think can improve compliance are shown.
Conclusion:
To improve compliance, merely educating patients is not sufficient and more efforts should be undertaken toward ensuring true sense of the problem and its impact. Factors affecting compliance due to the physical properties in the patch itself should be addressed too (heat, irritation, poor adhesive material and design).
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