High-Definition Optical Coherence Tomography of the Macula in Deprivational Amblyopia

This study evaluated macular thickness in deprivational amblyopia and compared it to matched controls.

The authors present a cross-sectional study of patients with amblyopia from pediatric cataract and matched controls. Macular high-definition optical coherence tomography scans of each eye were acquired. Central macular thickness (CMT) and parafoveal thicknesses at 500 μm, 1,000 μm, and 1,500 μm in the nasal, temporal, inferior, and superior locations were measured.

Thirty-four eyes were included: 14 eyes with deprivational amblyopia and 20 controls. In amblyopes, the mean age was 10.06 years ± 3.89 years and logMAR visual acuity (VA) was 0.41 ± 0.53, whereas in the control group, mean age was 8.96 years ± 1.89 years and mean logMAR VA was 0.03 ± 0.05. The macula in deprivational amblyopia was significantly thicker centrally compared to controls (P = .0013), but only tended to be thicker at 500 μm and thinner at 1,000 μm and 1,500 μm. Male gender, poorer VA, and hyperopic refraction positively correlated with CMT (P = .011, P = .018, and P = .038, respectively).

Eyes with deprivational amblyopia had increased CMT compared to controls, and this correlated with the severity of amblyopia. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2018;49:198-204.].